You are on page 1of 119

INNOCENTS

A truly terrifying role playing game

Manuel J. Sueiro, Angel Paredes, & Javier Santos


INNOCENTS

A truly terrifying role playing game


Written By: With thanks to:
Manuel J. Sueiro, ngel Paredes, &
Felipe de las Heras, for your help and
Javier Santos
advice.
With the invaluable collaboration of: For more information:
Ral Frutos and Carla Caballero www.nosolorol.com
www.nocturnal-media.com
Translated By:
Irene Ramos Soto & Miguel Miranda Arcos

Illustrated By:
Yurema Cantero & Jaime Garca Mendoza

Stories By:
Rosendo Chas

Layout (English edition):


Robert Denton

Editor (Spanish edition):


Manuel J. Sueiro

Editor (English edition):


Roderick Robertson

All material included in this book is the property of their respective authors,
licensed by NOSOLOROL and published in English by Nocturnal Media with express
permission of the authors. Reproduction of any part of this volume without the
express permission of NOSOLOROL Ediciones and Nocturnal Media is prohibited.
First Spanish Edition: February 2007
First English Edition: March 2017
Innocents 2007, 2010, NOSOLOROL Ediciones
Translation 2017, Nocturnal Media
Here you

will fi nd

Come In, If You Dare:


An introduction to a truly terrifying role playing game..........10

Think Of The Children:


A brief set of rules to create the characters..............................24

Trick Or Treat:
The rules you can use or ignore to play Innocents...................38

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle:


Advice for the Master to terrorize the children........................62

There Is Much To Fear:


All your nightmares, ready to come to life.................................82

The 20 Rules To Play Innocents................................................116


Character sheet..........................................................................117

3
The Seamstress Of Monsters
The children turned to Thomas, as they always did when something like
this happened. He had earned a reputation for being fearless that he now
had to live up to. That had been the only way someone like him could make
the rest of the children in the building complex notice him. Since he had a
lot of trouble talking, and could hardly open his mouth to say half a word,
making friends was hard for him. In fact, even with all the stories hed heard
about the chunk dog, it was easier for him to climb the fence and jump into
the Seamstress garden to look for the lost football than it would have been
muttering a half-hearted explanation or simply saying no.
The place was dark, and he could barely see the moon among the clouds.
The house did offer some light, coming from a window on the top floor; the
same window you could always see the old woman sewing and sewing all the
time... except right now. She was gone! His heart, already on high gear,
started beating frantically, almost busting out of his chest.
And no trace of the football. Still, looking more around than under the
bushes he kept pushing aside, he could have missed it more than a few times.
And of course, he could have avoided falling through the cellar trap door.
The crash could be heard even by the children outside, who heard a roar
immediately after.
Thomas lay still amongst the rubble and junk that had welcomed him with
open arms. Everything hurt, and there was some pointy thing piercing his
butt. But the pain wasnt important, only laying still was. A shadow peeked
over the trap door obscuring the little moonlight it provided. It was a hoarse,
dark shadow that sounded like bellows. Very still. A golden light shone where
an eye should have been; then a meaty sliding, like jaws opening, sounded
4 before the breathing accelerated, getting hoarser.
And then the cellar light came on and the shadow was gone, no trace of
it left. Is someone there? said a husky womans voice. Thomas weighed
his options: he was afraid the old woman would chew him out for entering
her house, but she was just a harmless old lady, and the real danger was
whatever was waiting outside. He got up and took a few steps, letting her see
him. The old lady was at the top of the stairs, squinting to see the intruder.
A boy? she finally said. Youve scared me to death, you know? Thomas
nodded. Come upstairs, well get you some milk and cookies.
The kid got closer to the stairs, and quickly realized something was off.
The old woman was looking at him too closely, mostly at his feet. The steps
were black and white. Weird. Very weird. There was a railing, a detailed,
forged shape, almost like a snake slithering along the wall. And still the old
woman looked at the boys feet. Do you like cocoa? Well drop a spoonful
of cocoa in your milk. Come on. Thomas stepped directly onto the second
step, bright white. The woman half-smiled and muttered to herself. Come
on, come on, follow that trail. She said a bit louder. So the boy rushed up
the stairs, skipping the black steps without knowing why, and got to the old
woman, who was surprisingly tall.
Her skin had wrinkles on wrinkles, like a really dry plum, and had a lot of
different colors to it; it was full of spots and looked hard, very hard, with
grey hairs like a beard. Thank God shes not the kind of woman who wants
a kiss, thought Thomas. Her eyes were very small, sunken in their big
sockets behind thick glasses that rested on a humongous nose with huge,
hairy nostrils. Her hair was completely white, pinned up in an enormous bun.
You did well. She said with a raspy voice, grabbing his shoulders with the
strength of a vise grip, though not painfully. Now keep going to the right.
She followed, pushing him through the cellar door.
The long hall, with an equal number of doors on either side, had a very 5
thick, very red carpet that seemed to move, something flowing across its
fibers, like a river through a meadow of grass. Surely it was just the light.
The old woman pushed him to move along. It was difficult not to look at the
painted wallpaper, which looked like it had depth. At one point he tripped
on the carpet but managed to catch himself against the wall, where his hand
sank a bit into the rose garden that covered the walls. Be careful with the
thorns, if one goes deep enough it could pierce your heart, warned the old
woman. and those are thorns that you wouldnt be rid of no matter how
long you lived. Again she pushed him to make him go faster. Come on,
the milk is getting cold!
At the end of the hall there were some stairs on one side, and a double
door on the other; the kind you would find in the kitchen of a classy
restaurant, with those small windows that were at just the right height to
be useless to Thomas. From the corner of his eye he saw something silvery
jumping into the carpet, as if trying to swim up the stairs. The old woman
pointed at the doors, so he approached them and pushed one open carefully;
it was indeed a kitchen. But not any old kitchen, but an enormous one,
titanic even, full of huge pots set on fires, full of the steam rising from each
pot. The smell was weird, something he didnt recognize.
Get in there and get me some ipecacuanha, would you? said the old
woman, dropping her head so her eyes were at a level with Thomass, which
had grown to the size of small saucers during his walk through the house.
And if you find the chef... well, ask him for your glass of milk. The boy
wasnt eager to enter, not just for a glass of milk. The old woman was getting
more and more impatient. Just do me this favor and Ill get you out of
here!
Again hed been had. First the football, now ipecacuanha? He hadnt even
heard of anything remotely like it in his life. If she had sent him to the
6 kitchen then it must be some kind of spice, just like pepper, but how would he
recognize it? I hope it has a label, he thought hopefully, while he crossed a
hall full of pots so high they might as well have been metal columns. The heat
was terrible.
After a while walking, almost blinded by the steam, he found a shelf,
so high it got lost in the steam clouds, full of all that stuff Thomass mom
used when cooking, and a whole lot more that he had never seen before.
There where cat fangs, crocodile scales, a bit of dog tongue in a small urn,
a tall jar that, according to the label, contained rat eyes (a thousand of
them at least), and, tied in bundles, some awful-smelling strings. And no
ipecacuanha, by the way.
You looking for something in particular? thundered a voice behind him.
Slowly he turned to find himself looking at a giant that was as wide as he
was tall, a beaded brute with an apron and one of those silly chef hats. You
are the new help, right? he thundered again. Thomas, of course, nodded.
About time! Ive been asking for help for an eternity! he explained loudly,
Its too much work, and Im very stressed. The boy nodded again, this
time with more understanding than terror; thats what had happened to
his father, after all. There came a point where the only thing he did was
working; he didnt play with him, or with his mom, he barely came home
at all. Besides, it gets awfully lonely in here, Im so bored, rambled
the giant. Do you have any experience as a kitchen assistant? Thomas
shrugged. Well, no matter, youll learn.
Apparently the house owner, who wasnt the old lady, strangely enough,
was really picky about his food. For example, he wanted no hairs on his
fried cat. He also didnt want his food to look at him, so all eyes had to be
removed from any dish. Everything got used, in the end, but they had to
be careful about presentation; optic flan sounded better than rat eye
jelly. The giant kept thundering details that went right in one ear and out
the other. No matter how nice the ogre seemed, Thomas wasnt planning on
staying, so his only worry was getting the ipecacuanha for the old woman,
so she could tell her how to get out avoiding the chunk dog. The giant must
have sensed his interest in spices, because he told him: Theres the guide 7
over there; everything is very organized, otherwise it would be impossible to
work here.
With the guide he had no trouble finding the ipecacuanha; it was indeed
really well organized. Afterwards he had to fool around for half an hour more,
even tasting some spiders scrambled with their own eggs, which he found
surprisingly tasty. Finally he saw a chance to leave while the giant went to
get something from the cupboard.
The old lady was still anxiously waiting for him. As soon as Thomas got
through the doors, she took his hand and started running down the hall. The
painted paper roses trembled as they passed, so great was their speed, but
even then the hall seemed to never end. The boy could barely follow the old
woman. Once, he tripped and almost fell on the carpet, but then he felt his
feet no longer touching the ground, the woman was pulling him along, almost
flying. It was then he realized hed never actually seen the old womans
feet, and that her dress flapped as if there was nothing below her waist: no
legs, no feet, no nothing. When his feet did touch the carpet, they left
a pink wake. He couldnt see ahead, because of the wind in his face, but
looking back it seemed they hadnt gone that far. The giant cook, peering
through the double doors, didnt seem to be far enough away. He roared
like a cannon, but it was too late now. The old woman stopped at the end
of the carpet, which formed a small pool, and landed, still holding his hand,
in the entry hall just in front of the front door. Then, in one single gulp,
she drank the Ipecacuanha and immediately started thrashing, as if she were
about to throw up. It wasnt poison, was it? thought the boy. He was so
close to the door, he almost went for the knob... But the old woman made a
curt gesture for him to wait. She pushed at her belly, shouting in pain. She
thrashed on the floor and then breathed heavily. Meanwhile the giant ran
surprisingly fast towards them. He didnt seem happy at all.
Then it happened. The old womans chest started to grow, a ball of something
growing in her, a ball that started going up her neck and mouth, finally getting
8 out. It looked like a python eating a gazelle, only backwards, and so the ball
came out of her mouth and onto the floor with a whole lot of nasty green vomit.
And the old woman slumped towards the floor, face first. Then the ball got up,
and it was no ball at all, but a little girl, the same age as Thomas.
The giant was almost upon them when the old woman reacted. I have to
stay here, in the house, She said sadly, or at least a part of me does.
Thats the deal. She stopped. But I will get you out, said the girl, with
a voice that was similar to the old womans, but a lot sweeter. So the girl
took his hand and opened the front door, which closed after them just before
the giant thundered up the entrance. And then, there was silence.
Hand in hand they walked along a path flanked by bushes he was sure were
full of monsters made by the Seamstress, like the chunk dog itself. But no
monster dared to even growl at them. So they finally pushed the huge gate,
all bronze that was somehow incredibly light, which closed after them with a
BONG like that of a great church bell.
There was no one outside. The cowards had run away! Well, it was better
that way, it would have been difficult explaining to them that, instead of
the football, he had gotten a naked girl out of the house. It was then he
realized, embarrassed, that he was hand in hand with a naked girl. He tried
to let go of her hand, his cheeks red, but she was much stronger than she
looked and wouldnt let go. His shyness turned to alarm. I have no one
else, the girl whispered. I dont care! shouted Thomas. You are not
staying at my house! and, surprised by the sound of his own voice, stood
very still.
She smiled dangerously and, very serious, pulled his hand. Youre going
to love me. Lets go home.

9
Come in,

if you dare

T
heres still time to stop Innocents is a role playing game
reading, you have been about imagination and fear;
warned! You are about to about monsters under your bed,
start a journey through abandoned houses plagued with
the worst fears you can imagine, ghosts, and shadows forming odd
to the deepest corners of human shapes in the darkness. Innocents
nature. This journey will take is a game starring children, but it
you back to your childhood and is not a childs game: it is a role
you will view the world through playing game for adults willing
a childs eyes. But this time there to let their imagination fly back
wont be anyone around to tell to their childhood, to experience
you that its not real, that its just horror as only children can.
your imagination. Something This is not a fun game, as such; or
slimy and hungry waits for you it shouldnt be. It is a game to tell
in the darkness, and it is too late horror stories, and more: you are
to go back now. going to live it and feel fear in the
Dont be afraid, it is only a process. Adults can find being scared
game. Or is it? through literature stimulating, and
that is what Innocents is looking for,
but some people are easier to scare,

10
especially by some of the more enjoy the story, and will make
sensitive topics. Innocents authors sure that there are plenty of
do not mean to hurt anyones secondary characters... and
feelings, but to help those who monsters to interact with.
want to live a terrifying experience The rest of the group will play
through their imagination. If this children experiencing this world,
is not the case, do everyone a favor called Innocents. When playing
and stop reading. Innocents, players are more
Innocents is, above all, a role involved in the development of
playing game and follows most the story and its elements than
of the usual conventions; but it usual; the imagination of the
is not a game for newcomers, so players character helps shape the
we wont explain what they are story, giving the group a chance
and how they are played. Instead, of playing a more important
we are going to try to show you part than just being the main
how to play differently; far from characters of the game.
epic action, we lean towards the
darkest corners of the most primal The Story
fears, emotions, and psychodrama. Playing Innocents is living a
Despite this, Innocents is played childs story. A horror story, grim
as any other role playing game: and somewhat fantastic, but a
a group of players playing their story nonetheless. The Master sets
characters, a game master acting out the story and its basic setting:
as the rest of the world, and a story where and when it happens, what
they all develop together. characters take part and what
roles they will have. The Children
The Master And The Children star in the story; they live it, and at
As with almost every other role the same time they shape it with
playing game, Innocents has a every interaction. Innocents mixes
game master and a group of the more traditional elements of
players. In Innocents, the game role playing with psychodrama,
master is simply called the Master, although individual groups
and his mission is to provide the might lean more to one than
group with a game frame for the other.
them to play and develop their
characters in (The Master will be
referred to as he simply for ease
of writing). He will present them
with a plot and a stage so they can

11
Childhood Fantasy And Fear
This is a game starring Innocents deals with the purest
children, but it is not a game kind of fear: the fear of what does
for kids. We have said it before, not exist, the one generated purely
but wed rather repeat it than be by our own imagination. But it
ambiguous about it: this game is is not just about that; underlying
about irrational fears; putting it we find two other important
you in fight or flight situations concepts. First and foremost, our
and making you face the own fears feed on our beliefs.
consequences of your choices. What you believe, what you fear,
Innocents is a game that targets takes shape and can affect you.
adults willing to play adolescents Secondly, reality begets horror.
in a horror setting. Innocents The real world is so awful that
players build their characters we need to run away from it and
as children, helpless among hide in an imaginary world where
adults, and victims of their monsters live.
own imagination. In the world of the imagination,
Playing Innocents means the barrier between the real and
acting as a child without the fantastic is blurred. Like adults,
creating a parody character. You children discover the real world
will need to free your mind, through their sensory experiences,
leaving behind all conventions but they contribute to that reality
of adulthood and go back to the with their imagination and fear.
time when the world around you That reality is subject to the
was far different from what you contributions of those who shape
experience today. the world in the same way: other
Childhood can be wonderful and children. This way, by assuming
terrifying, and most of the time it is the beliefs of others, either adding
both at the same time. In Innocents to or replacing their own, children
we are interested in terror over share a common reality that,
wonder, so we will stick to that due to its irrationality, adults do
side of childhood: the irrational not accept unless forced to by
fear, the unnecessary cruelty, exceptional circumstances.
dealing with adults that just Fantasy begets terror by lending
dont understand, and horrifying explanations to
feeling helpless when nobody otherwise harmless situations: the
believes us. shadow cast by a chair becomes a
monster, that gains power when

12
the child imagines it and makes
it part of his reality.
On top of that, fantasy is a
refuge from real life horrors;
but it, too, has its own dangers.
Real fears transform themselves
to enter a child imaginary world,
where they become even more
powerful, acquiring abilities that
only a childs imagination can
conceive. This way, the abusing
father becomes the bogeyman or
other horrible monster, who
magically makes his parents
sleep at night and silently
walks to the kids bedroom
to do bad things to him,
leaving behind a sweet smell.
It is imagination that turns
the abuser into a monster with
terrible supernatural capabilities
that make him even more
powerful and fearsome. For the
child it is no longer his father, who
sleeps blissfully ignorant of what
is happening, due to the monsters
magic.
Fantasy can be a weapon used by
children to defend themselves and
fight back against horrors that
would be unbearable otherwise.
Innocents is not played in an
imaginary world, it is played
in the real world, but through
the eyes of children. Therefore,
imagination is in the eyes
of the beholder and different
children will see different things
when faced with the same reality.

13
Innocents players, however, Better to understand it with an
will see exactly the same example: Locked in the attic of their
things: they will share what grandmas old house, the children
they imagine, albeit with small are stalked by a sinister creature
personal touches; an overall summoned up from a horror story told
view, a shared reality that will by one of them: the chunk dog. Their
always be different from that of teenage babysitter decides to bring them
adults. Thus, Innocents stories some refreshments, to try to disperse
will ultimately include the adults the terrifying atmosphere, almost
views; another way of seeing the completely convinced that the sounds
world, closer to the conventions she has heard were caused by the water
about how the world works. But pipes and not by any monstrous canine
beware; adult reality is different made from a zoological patchwork.
from that of children, but it is not Despite the childrens pleas, she goes
necessarily better, truer, or closer down through the attic trapdoor to
to an absolute or ideal truth. It is the top floor of the house. The children
just simpler and more plausible see the shadow of a monstrous dog
for those whose minds are not pounce on the girl, tear her apart, and
innocent anymore. then try to climb up to the attic. The
children are quick to join forces to try
to close the trapdoor and after several
painful and desperate attempts, they

14
manage to contain the beast. However, up or get rid of their fears. They
by striking the dog with the door, they are Innocents too.
unveil the horror of what it dropped
from its mouth: the babysitters hand. Monsters
When an adult finally finds the girl Monsters are born from the
lying at the foot of the stairs, bloody nightmares of children, but they
with a severed hand, there will be no also come from the stories of
doubt as to what happened. In reality, adults and, ultimately, reality.
bewitched by the horror story they had The monsters ability to affect its
heard, the children got frightened when victims depends on the strength of
the girl tried to get back into the attic, the Innocents belief, and the fear
closing the trap door on her so hard they generate. Those monsters
that they amputated her hand. that appear in the stories that
parents tell their children to get
Innocence And The Innocents them to behave are the most
As the name of this game shows, terrible and powerful of all.
the theme is innocence. To be more Monsters that are part of a
precise, the issue is the loss of personal terror are especially
innocence. Innocence is what gives horrible for the child who fears
the child the means to face reality them.
and it is innocence that terror tries Beating a monster on its own
to destroy. ground, fantasy, will only
As the child grows and his postpone a future appearance.
mind conforms to the general The only way to vanquish the
conventions, his innocence monster is to stop believing in him
decreases. The imaginary affects anymore, but the price you pay for
him less and less and he becomes that is huge and is precisely what
less able to bend reality with his the monster is after: the loss of
own fantasies. innocence of the child.
The main characters of this game
give it its name and are, therefore, Adults
called Innocents. An Innocent is Adults are not the focus of
usually a child, although some Innocents. Rarely will they be
adults have a mind that resembles antagonists or allies. Most of the
that of children. Senile elders time they will influence the story
and others who are not in full use from the background; sowing the
of their mental faculties are like seeds of terror through stories or by
children locked in the body of an their mere presence. However, they
adult; children who will never grow

15
can also be the true villain of a
story, as an adult can be the real
horror which, when wrapped
in the childs fantasy, creates the
monsters of their imagination.
In contrast, adults can also be used
as lifesavers or to blow off tension.
An adult can prove that the dreaded
closet monster is just a bunch of
clothes, or the claw scratching the
window is simply a tree branch
blowing in the wind. But often, when
the adult disappears, reality goes
with him, and the pile of clothes
again becomes a monster and
pounces on those who believe in
it. And when the parent comes
back, alerted by the childs cries
for help, its too late.
But even adults arent entirely safe
from unrealistic fears. Like children,
each adult has a personal terror
that he cannot cope with. He wont
be able to break the illusion when
it appears in the room at night. He
wont be able to face that horror
that terrified him the most as a child,
and even now lingers in the depths
of his memory.

Damage
Can the imaginary do real
damage? The answer is yes. Pain,
physical injury, and even death are
very real possibilities in Innocents.
Adults reinterpret what happened
to fall in line with their reality: falls,
suffocation, poisoning, sudden death
syndrome...

16
That is why Innocents, although
it is a psychological horror game,
Aesthetics
is not without violence, although The aesthetics of Innocents is
it should be less frequent than in influenced by several sources
other games and only used as way and the illustrations in this book
leave no space for doubt: the work of
to escalate dramatic tension.
the great Edward Gorey is perhaps
Gruesomeness the closest visual reference, but
certainly Tim Burtons films are
Attraction to unpleasantness better known and perhaps more
has a reserved role in Innocents. accessible.
Blood spurting like a fountain, Obviously, you can play Innocents
dismemberment and mutilation ignoring any aspect discussed
are in childrens fantasies as ideas in this book; and in the case of
that are, at the same time, repulsive aesthetics that may be especially
and attractive. true. But we hope that you are
Innocents is not a morbid game; inspired to include elements of
its about bone-wrenching terror, this style in your stories: pale
which you feel not because of and haggard boys and girls,
what you can see, but because of striped sweaters, huge worms,
what you cant. It is the fear of monsters with spindly legs, fragile
what you think will happen in stylized figures, etc.
the next moment that, seemingly Good stories stimulate the
imminent, never comes. imagination of those that hear or
That is why gore should be left in read them: if you fill your stories
the minds of players, reserving its with elements of Gorey and
appearance for the most dramatic Burton, you will create a suitable
moments. atmosphere.

17
The Dead
Granny got so angry when I told her I didnt want to go to church, that I
wasnt in the mood to celebrate anything. She started crying and shouting: I have
enough problems as it is! she said. She raised her hand above my head and stood
there, looking into my eyes, face red and eyes redder still, her hand trembling.
She then turned around, took something from my desk and left my room, slamming
the door. I barely moved. I could hear something shattering in the distance, my
porcelain angel, and another shout: See what you are making me do!
Id rather not go into church at all. It was really important For Granny because
everyone would be there, family and friends. I didnt know anyone, but apparently
it would have been a disaster if I hadnt gone to the funeral. What will everyone
think? They barely fit in the church, almost spilling out from every door. They
came to say hello. Some of them were crying; people Ive never seen before crying
more than anyone else. Some didnt know what to say and stopped mid-sentence,
or just muttered Im sorry, dear. Always a lot of dear or honey or maybe
even sweetie. Complete strangers. Some tried to make me laugh, or laughed
themselves, trying to make light of the whole thing. Thats the way life is, they
said. And then some didnt even dare to get close to me, just looking from afar,
their eyes avoiding mine. But apparently it was important for Granny.
The priest came up to me and took my hands. His were warm, almost burning,
and were sweaty. God loves you, little one, he whispered. I didnt understand
what he meant.
The only thing I remember about his whole speech is him saying that my parents
would come back to life very soon. On Judgement Day, he said. I remember
that, even if I barely got any sleep the night before and was a bit drowsy.
Since Granny had stepped forward to kneel with her old friends, I leaned on my
godfather. I looked at him for a second before closing my eyes, thinking he might
be annoyed, but he smiled sadly at me, put his arm around me and even his coat,
like a blanket over my shoulders. I snuggled and tried to sleep, but... There will
come a day when all good Christians will be resurrected. My eyelids suddenly
18 opened. On Judgement Day the dead will come back and crawl out of their tombs
to be judged by God Almighty. He kept on speaking. Finally something I was
interested in!
He explained no more in that speech, so when he was done, before we left for
the restaurant, I spoke to him: What day is Judgement Day, exactly? Is it a
Monday? At first, he smiled, but then got all serious. That is not for us to know,
little one. We just have to be ready, it could come at any time. My godfather
kissed me and hugged me hard when I asked, but said nothing. Lastly, after asking
a lot of different people, while Granny was tucking me in and kissing me goodnight I
asked her. Sometimes...sometimes I think its already here, love. Save yourself!
She said, turning the light off.
The cemetery where they had buried mommy and daddy was far from home.
The first few times I managed to get Granny to give me a lift, but after that,
she got sick of it: Always at the graveyard...you should be studying! Luckily
she didnt pay too much attention to me. I often went to my friends houses for
snacks without telling her. I remember that the first few times it was weird when
one of their mommies gave me a kiss or cleaned my face with a handkerchief, I
could almost see a small string between each mommy and child, always together...
and me, alone. I managed to convince them to take me to the graveyard a few
times, but it got weird for them. They came with their serious faces and their black
clothing, and there I was, smiling among the tombstones in my flowery dress. As
soon as I learned the way, I started going alone, even if people looked at me on
the bus. Where are your parents? they would ask, concerned. Im going to see
them, I answered. I tried to go every day after school.
My friends were so excited about all the stories I told them. We spent recess
wondering about all the people in the cemetery; we almost felt like we knew them.
What we were more curious about were the faces. What would everyone look like?
Some of them had pictures on the tombstones, but for most of them we only knew
their names, last names, and maybe that they had loving parents and siblings. The
flowers were also a hot topic. Some of them got them changed each week, and some
only had a few dry sticks in a vase; disgusting, pure neglect. I had no money for
flowers, so I always picked a couple daisies from a garden on my way there.
But some girls didnt like the graveyard stories. They picked on me, saying I
was weird. I told them I wasnt making any of it up, that the priest had said it,
but then they danced around me, singing Your parents are dead, your parents
are dead. until the teacher came and scolded them. Are you alright, honey? 19
she asked. Its true, they are dead, I answered with a huge smile on my face.
Her reaction was always the same: she first opened her eyes wide, and then she
closed then, putting her hands on her face. In the end, two times out of three,
she hugged me closely. Poor teacher! I think she felt lonely too.
One day, an older girl brought a strange game to school. It had a board, but
no spaces or dices, just a small plastic disc with a magnifying glass. The board had
numbers and letters, and three words: Yes, No, and Goodbye. According to
the girl, you could use it to talk to the dead. I was getting tired by now of talking
to my parents without ever getting an answer.
She hardly let us see the game, but during that week, we watched them play and
took notes. Some of them sat around the board and put their fingers on the disc,
which started moving. But apparently, it wasnt them moving it, but a spirit, that
of a girl that had died a few years back, falling down the stairs while trying to slide
down the bannister. The spirit answered, always with a yes or a no, except when
some word or name needed to be spelled. And it always said goodbye politely,
moving the disk to the word Goodbye.
We made our first Dead Board in arts and crafts. It was a white cardboard and
the numbers and letters we drew with black crayon. It wasnt very practical. We
ended up blurring all of it on our first test. So we had to make a second one, this
time with a wooden board and some markers, waiting until the ink was dry before
playing with it for the first time. When we finally did, it was a rainy day and the
teachers decided to put all of us in the gym, instead of outside, during recess.
My friends and I hid behind some mats and brought out our Dead Board. We
were more curious than afraid. The dead were already old companions to us.
So we set the disc in the middle of the board, put our fingers around it, and
concentrated. Then, after a few seconds in total silence...well, the boys were
making quite the ruckus playing football, but we were in complete silence...I said:
Spirit of the stair girl, are you there? We were all so still...and then, Yes;
the disc had moved! We looked at each other half laughing, very excited. Spirit
from the stairs, we have called you to guide us. Will you help us? I asked. The
board trembled for a moment, and then...Yes, again. It worked! We were talking
with a girl who had been dead for years.
20 We asked her a few warm-up questions. What was being dead like? Did she miss
being alive? Was she happy? Everything yes! It almost seemed the board was
broken. I started to feel a bit disappointed about it, so I decided to get to the
point. Are my parents there with you? Silence. No. Most important question
of all, and she said no. I got up and sat away from the board. My friends tried to
cheer me up. Dont worry, they said, well find them; they must be around.
And then the disk moved by itself. On its own! The girls had removed their fingers
from the disc, and still it was moving G-O It was trying to spell something.
T-O It was moving full speed. T-H-E C-E-M-E-T-E-R-Y. I got up and
shouted at the board. If I call them there, will they answer? I heard a howl.
But it was just the recess siren, drowning every voice in the gym. Goodbye, said
the stair spirit. And then a teacher sent us to class. At the worst possible time!
Even if the conversation had ended abruptly, I was sure of what I had to do. I
needed to use the Dead Board in the cemetery. Sadly, I couldnt count on my
friends for this, since their parents watched them closely, not like Granny.
So, just like many other times, that afternoon I got on the bus to the cemetery;
I replied to those who thought it strange that a girl was going there alone, I
picked some flowers on the way, and I walked among the tombs talking cheerfully
to the dead. But this time I didnt go home at dusk. Instead I hid between the
biggest tombs so that the man who always closed the place didnt see me. I almost
fell asleep against one of those tombs that looked like a house. Finally, when I
thought no one would bother me, I went straight to my parents resting place, one
of those tombs that go into the wall, and are surrounded by other tombs housing
people that had probably nothing to do with them. I took the board out of my
backpack and set it on the gravel, in front of the huge wall of tombs. I set the disc
on the board and sat by the boards side, waiting with my arms crossed.
A soft, cold breeze was blowing. I should have brought a sweater or something,
I thought, rubbing my arms. The moon hid between clouds every now and then,
plunging me into darkness. I was very nervous. What if they didnt show up? Cloud.
I counted seconds. Two, four, twelve, twenty. Moon. It was getting colder and
colder. It occurred to me it was getting late, and I would have no way of going
home when I finished. Granny is gonna be mad. Cloud. Three, seven, thirteen,
twenty-one, thirty-three, forty-seven, a sudden breath behind me. Moon. No
one. There was no one behind me.
Before another cloud left me in the dark, I leaned over the board and put my
fingers on the disc. I pushed it a little, as if to make it take a run-up, and then
21
shouted. Mommy? Daddy? A chill went down my spine, as if the wind had gone
through me, and then the disk moved, pulling my hands along. No.
No? I asked, turning towards my parents tomb once again. Another shiver.
The disc moved left, then right, turned around and, when it was about to reach
the No, turned around again. It moved so fast between Yes and No I almost
couldnt follow. So I got up and left it to itself, moving like crazy, faster and
faster. And then the disc stood on its side and started spinning like a top, and
then went flying off the board. Almost thirty feet!
That was just too much, I stood and went running to pick up the disc, but
then, another cloud. Four, ten, shiver, forty, a hundred. Moon. Where is
the disk? It wasnt at my feet. I looked around, desperate. If I didnt find it,
I would never be able to contact my parents. Where are you? I shouted almost
hysterically. The moon hid behind the clouds and it got dark again. Another shiver
and again I felt something breathing on my neck. I stood very still. Like words
lost on the wind, some broken sentence got to my ears. Coming...parents...run.
And the moon disappeared.
My heart pounded frantically. NOW I was scared. Why did I ever think I
needed to talk to the dead? Not all the people that are alive are nice, and I doubt
dying makes you any better. All this I thought while running towards my things,
all scattered in front of the tomb. I gathered the board and the rest as quick as I
could. And then I heard a strong thump, and I froze. It had sounded just beside
me, like it came from inside the tombs! Slowly I turned my head towards the wall,
and it made a strange noise, like my neck was rusty. Another thump. This time I
saw the stone covering my parents grave move. The thumps came from inside their
tomb. The next blow made some of the flowers from the nearby tombs fell down,
and even one of the pictures hanging on the stone. Another blow. And another.
More and more violent. More and more blows.
Only then I remembered what the priest had said at my parents funeral: On
Judgement Day the dead will come back and crawl out of their tombs. And then,
with a final blow, the stone on my parents tomb fell down with a big crash. And
then there was silence.
What are you doing here, kid? I heard behind me. The old man almost scared
22 me to death. He blinded me with his light. What are you doing here? This is no
place or time for a little girl, he said angrily. I almost hugged him, I was so glad
to see the old man. I thought he would take me to his house, and we would call
Granny. She would be mad, sure, but she would come to get me. She might sulk
for a couple of days, and might even slap me. I wouldnt care. She would have
forgotten all about it in a week, and everything would go back to normal.
The old man looked at the clutter. He approached the broken stone and said:
What a mess! What will your parents think about this? He shone the flashlight
into the hole in the wall. And then some arms grabbed his head and pulled him
inside. He screamed and kicked, and then went very still, as if hanging from the
hole, something dripping from his hands.
A figure crawled out of the hole, slithering like a snake. It was a body, but
incomplete, full of holes. With something like a voice, it greeted me: Dearest
daughter, come with your mother. I love you. I gave you life. And that flesh that
hangs from your bones....give me your flesh, daughter, I need it...I have no lips,
or cheeks, and I need legs and breasts. Give me your flesh so I can wear it. She
was missing half of her face, like something had scraped it off. One of her legs bent
strangely, in too many places. Her ribs showed naked in the moonlight, and only a
single eye remained on her sockets. I couldnt move.
The last thing I remember is a whimper that came from the tomb, like an
old dog. The old mans body, limp, was sucked into the hole slowly. And my
mother approached me slowly, close enough now to caress my cheeks. This
will do, she said.
I dont remember how I got out of there, only that I got home in the morning
and Granny said nothing. She seemed not to have notice my absence. At school,
my friends asked about my adventure, but I never said a word. I dont ever want
to hear anything about the dead. At night, when Granny goes to bed, I jump out
of bed and hide in the closet. Its not as comfy, but maybe this way Ill have a
chance if they come for me. They wont be long now; they know where I live...I
somethings think I hear them still, with their holes and naked bones...
Whats that? The doorbell? Granny, dont open the door, they come for our
flesh. Its Mommy and Daddy.

23
Think
of the

children

C
reating your character is what not so much? What scares
one of the most important you the most? You can create
parts in any role playing your character by answering these
game. An interesting questions. Giving a breath of life to
character is the foundation of a a fictional character, a child, will
good story, so you should devote help us put ourselves in their skin
some attention to the creation and play their character in the
of the protagonists, dont you story.
think? In Innocents, the players At the end of this book you will
characters are called children find a character sheet to record all
and, unlike other games, the the important things for the game.
creation process places special
emphasis on background stories.
This is because the game is Character Creation
very rules-light and focuses on
the story; therefore, numerical Name
aspects take a back seat to role- Choose your characters name. It
playing. doesnt need to be his full name;
Who are you? What do you look what his friends and family use
like? What are you good at and or the one he uses to introduce

24
himself when asked will be fine. If brown hair and freckles.
he has a nickname, this is the time Then he makes a drawing that
to write it down. Nick himself couldnt have
Example: Michael is creating his drawn any worse.
first Innocents character. Currently,
he only knows his name is Nicholas, Age
but everyone calls him Nick. The childs age is the most important
characteristic of the game. It will
Description influence everything else. You
The childs description will guide may pick any value between 4 and
the creation process; thats why 12, but you need to be aware that
some people prefer to leave it to the younger children can do less things
end or do it as they are making other than older ones, but the latter
decisions about their character. are less innocent and therefore
An acceptable description should can use less imagination to
include apparent age, hair and eye defend themselves against the
color, height and complexion, how horrors of the night
the child dresses, general attitude Example: Michael decides that
and a specific detail, such as Nick is 7 years old.
wearing glasses or braces. A good On top of the real age, you need
description will be much more to decide the physical and mental
than that and allow those who read age. The former represents how
it to truly visualize the appearance old the child looks, and the latter
of the child. how old their actions make them
Much better than writing a appear. One will be used when
description is drawing a picture. carrying out physical tests and the
Ideally, this wont be a realistic other for mental tests. By default,
drawing, but a drawing the both values will be the same as the
character himself would make: a childs age, but you can increase
picture of a child, by a child. This one by decreasing the other, up to
not only means that no player, no two years.
matter how bad they are at drawing, Example: after giving it a
can get away with not doing it; but thought, Michael decides to
also, with a little effort, allows us increase Nicks mental age to 8
to show how the character sees and decrease his physical age
himself. to 6. Nick is quite bright, but
Example: Michael decides that somewhat frail.
Nick is sickly and skinny, with lank

25
Traits If the childs physical and mental
ages match his character, you wont
It is time now to choose character start with any specific trait. You
traits: if you have increased the may pick a good trait for one of the
physical or mental age of the child, two characteristics, but you must
you need to pick what will define also take a bad one for the same
him in that field. For example, he feature.
could be agile or sturdy, astute or
good at math. On the other hand,
if you have decreased it, he could
Innocence
be clumsy or scrawny, forgetful or Innocence represents the childs
absent-minded. imagination and it contrasts with
what happens in the real world. It
Example: Nick looks young for his
is the way a child fights what hes
age; therefore, he has a negative
scared of, the surreal things that only
physical trait. Michael decides
exist in our minds. This characteristic
Nick is a scrawny child. Nick
defines how children see the world:
is skinny and looks fragile. On
the lower it is, the closer they will
the other hand, hes is quite
be to the real world; the higher, the
bright, meaning he has a positive
more distorted their world will be.
mental attribute, hes a know-it-
all. He seems to know everything In order to determine your
and will talk about things no child characters innocence, you just
should know. subtract his real age from 15.

26
Example: Nick is 7, so his innocence and disadvantages should be
is 8. external aspects, so they are not
always present. For example,
Hobbies wearing glasses wont have as
Hobbies are the activities or areas of much a negative impact as being
knowledge that our character finds absentminded, since it wont
interesting and knows more about affect the character as long as he is
than most other children. You must wearing them.
pick two different hobbies for your Advantages examples: rich child, pet,
character; it can be games, school older brother (being one or having one),
subjects or anything you want, but spoiled child.
they shouldnt be too general. For Disadvantages examples: braces,
instance, you cannot pick films older brother (being one or having
or books, but adventure films one. Yes, this can be simultaneously
or pirate stories are perfectly a disadvantage and an advantage),
fine. It is up to the Master to decide bed wetting, sick parent.
what is acceptable and what isnt. Example: Michael decides
For those that would rather not Nicks parents will be
think too much about it, here are divorced as a disadvantage:
some examples: home-made chemistry they sometimes use Nick in their
experiments, dodge-ball, magic tricks, disputes, they have joint custody
building games, painting. and he has to move between houses
Example: Nick loves puzzles and once a week. After discussing it
dinosaurs. with the Master, Nicks advantage
is... divorced parents. It can also be
Advantages And Disadvantages an advantage: both parents coddle
There is always something that him and sometimes obey his every
makes our lives easier or more whim in their eagerness to compete
difficult, depending on the situation. for her affection.

Personal Terror
You must pick one advantage and
one disadvantage for your character.
The Master will ultimately decide Each Innocents character has their
what is an advantage and what isnt, very own terror, something that
but they should be small things that he finds particularly disturbing
can sometimes have an influence and terrible. This terror appears
in the game, but shouldnt be as a recurring theme in the
omnipresent or not useful at all. different stories, looking to confront
Unlike character traits, advantages the child or even destroy him. This

27
can be a monster like the Positive aspects can include: raise the
Sandman, maybe a circumstance physical or mental age of the child
like darkness, a type of object or by one, choose another positive trait
person such as clowns, etc. related to the childs age, increase
Although there are lots of things your innocence by one, choose a
out there that can scare us, each of new hobby or advantage. Negatives
us is particularly vulnerable to just include: a one-point decrease in
one or two. For your character you the physical or mental age of the
must choose what they fear the child, choose a new negative trait
most, whether real or imaginary, for physical or mental age, lower his
concrete or abstract. Although Innocence by one, choose a new fear
fear can be as general or specific or disadvantage.
as you want, within reasonable Example: Michael decides to increase
limits, the Master can use their the Nicks innocence to 9. Then
own judgment to determine he chooses a new disadvantage:
whether it is appropriate or asthmatic. When he exercises a lot
not, as usual. The Master might or gets nervous, Nick has difficulty
consider that stormy nights breathing, but he can always fix it
is an appropriate fear, albeit quickly if his inhaler is handy. Lets
somewhat specific, while knives hope he doesnt lose it...
with a black handle is not. In any
case the Master should allow any Breath Of Life
fear when the player provides a We are almost done, only the last
good justification. step left: the breath of life. Does the
Example: Michael does not want child live with his parents? Does
to think too much about it and he have brothers and sisters? Who
chooses spiders as Nicks personal are his friends in school and his
fear. Those small long-legged bugs neighborhood? Is he shy, cheerful,
throw shivers down his spine. The outgoing, curious, restless, quiet...?
Master smiles mischievously at his Ask yourself all these questions about
choice. your character. Focusing specially on
the following:
Final Touches Family. With whom does the
If you wish, you can make some child live, and where? Are there
adjustments to your character. any other members in the family?
You can make a maximum of How often does the child see
three changes, and every change them?
must have a positive and a negative Friends and classmates. Who are
aspect balancing each other. they? Who does he tell his secrets

28
to, who doesnt he trust, who
is he afraid of?
Himself. How does he behave?
What does he care about?
What does he want to be when
he grows up?
Example: During the creation
process, Michael has already
decided that Nicks parents are
divorced and he spends half the
time with one and half with the
other. To spice things up, he
decides that Nicks mom has
remarried and her new husband
has a teenage daughter, Elvira,
from a previous marriage.
She lives with her mother and
they seldom meet. Besides that,
Nicks paternal grandparents live
in the same city, and his pop often
takes him to visit them. Sometimes
he stays with them instead of with
his pop because this has to go to
work (or so he says).
At school, Nick is not very popular,
he talks too much and can be a
smartass, so he only has two friends:
Robert, a somewhat obese child that
everyone picks on, and Charlotte, a
girl who wears braces and doesnt
know when to shut up: his very own
female counterpart. The three are
hand in glove, but Robert is a little
liar and can be a snitch (both are
characters from other players).
Nick wants to be like a famous
fictional archaeologist when he
grows up, or something very similar.
His father is a fan of those films and

29
his mother has a crush on the
actor, so they both have instilled
Adults
into him a passion for the intrepid Adults are characters managed by the
archaeologist. Master in Innocents and take a back
seat in the story. An adult could be
But what Nick really wants is to
an ally, though more likely a villain
discover dinosaurs still living in
in a given story. Do not forget that
hidden places (he doesnt really
Innocents stories deal with childrens
know what archaeology means).
fears and imagination; they, and the
He has a pretty big mouth and
supernatural, are the main characters.
is very talkative, this has earned
him several reprimands from Adults are different from each
his teachers and got him in some other and certainly very different to
school fights. His parents tend not children. Generally, they are superior
to punish him and just spoil him, to them in physical and intellectual
boosting these qualities. Actually, capacity. Adults attributes are not
Nick feels very insecure and hides dependent on age. It is assumed that,
behind talking endlessly of the from age 16 on, peoples physical
things he learned on TV. What and mental structures are set.
he wants most in the whole wide Therefore, adults have physical and
world is that his parents would intellectual traits that correspond in
function to the Physical and Mental
love each other again and reunite.
ages of children.

30
A normal adult has 20 in both their
Physical and Mental attributes. Any
Innocent Adults
value below 20 but above 15 reflects Some adults, however, are open to
lower capability, while values up to innocence: people with learning
25 represents higher capability still disabilities or the elderly with
within the normal range. However, dementia can be counted among
adult character attributes can be as those. In general, any adult with an
low as 10 or as high as 30, though Mental attribute lower than 15 starts
this would be an exceptional person. the game with at least one point of
innocence. To determine the adults
Regarding innocence, all adults start
innocence simply subtract their
the game with 0 points and cannot
Mental attribute from 15.
use their imagination to influence
the outcome of the story. They also These adults will be affected
are immune to (not affected by) by imagination or terror in the
imagination spent by a child character, normal way.
and are unlikely to be affected by the An innocent adult can have
terror-inducing monsters. hobbies or professional
Instead of hobbies, adults have knowledge (or a mixture of both)
professional knowledge. This at the players discretion, provided,
knowledge is stated with the name of course, that the knowledge is
of a profession and includes all the suitable for his intellect, which is
skills it is reasonable to think that are equivalent to their mental age in this
included within it: chef could serve case.
to wield a knife, but it is arguable If the Master allows it, a player can
that electrician can be used to use a play an innocent adult. There are no
screwdriver as a weapon. rules to create a character like this:
All other aspects of an adult player and Master should reach an
character are created exactly as if agreement to pick the traits so he fits
he were a child. into the story.

31
Little Worms
A broken scream. Harrys hand moved slowly, crawling across the
seat towards his sister. She was there... and then she wasnt. A
sudden jolt had thrown her over the seat, towards the back of the
bus. The whole vehicle shook violently, and you could hear scraping
and noises all around. Lights went by rapidly, vanishing into the
cold night. Another shake. Harry put his legs to his chest first,
and then his arms, his hands holding first the seatbelt and then,
in desperation, his head, making himself into a ball. He closed his
eyes with all his strength...
He managed to spend the next few minutes like that, just humming
a jingle and trembling. But the screams seemed to be closer and
closer. What would he do if they came for him, now that his sister
wasnt there? The best thing for the heat is SCREAMS, the best
for thirst is SCREAMS, a new drink full of SCREAMS. It was
even worse with his eyes closed.
He heard a shriek just behind him, coming from the space between
his seat and his sisters, like that of an monkey sticking its snout
through the opening. And then something touched his foot. The
shock made his eyes open like a spring and his legs climb the seat
in front of him as if they had a life of their own. Holding himself
up precariously from the floor, his back arched upwards in an almost
impossible figure, his legs trembling from the combined weight:
Harry found himself making a strange handstand with his feet in the
headrest of the seat in front. Billys face, looking at him from the
ceiling-turned-floor, was a sight to see.
But no matter how ridiculous the situation was, Billy was a pro.
His mission was to protect the helpless and the girls, and Harry
fit at in least one of those categories. So he pulled the sissys
32 arm, which made him fall back into his seat, and then released the
seatbelt to set him free. Follow me as fast as you can; if you fall
behind youll get lost.
The space under the bus seats was roomier than Harry would
have thought. Everyone must have been jumping onto the seats
or running along the aisle, because you could see only a few legs
hanging from the above, a few backpacks and a bottle of water
rolling around. It was pretty dark, but not completely. The red
lights on the floor shone enough to show you where to go. This
made Harry quite happy, since Billys butt was moving full speed
and it was almost impossible to stay with him. He saw him ahead, a
silhouette making come on gestures towards him. Even so, as he
crawled away from the screams, he thought he didnt care about
getting lost in this dark and dusty place: he felt safe.
He had a hard time catching Billy, truth be told. He finally
caught up with him in the front of the bus. Snot, Fart, Carrot,
and Laura were already there, although the latter didnt really fit
underneath the seats, so she loomed upside-down like a huge bat,
her hair sweeping the bus floor. Billy checked Harry was safe and
sound, took a sip from a canteen tied to a seat leg and, bowing to
his public, turned around and left again.
Everyone was calm; Harry walked to Snot first, who was, as always,
picking his nose for something to eat. Snot was a good kid, not
selfish at all. When he saw Harry was interested in his search,
he offered him a bit without hesitating, which Harry declined with
nausea he disguised as a smile. Fart doodled on the walls with some
sort of marker pen. Harry tried to decipher his writing for a second,
but the pens seemed to be made to write in paper, not metal walls,
and Fart smeared his writing as soon as he finished. Carrot was far
more selfish than Snot; he wasnt willing to share his nail clippings
at all. Not like Harry wanted any nails, but it would have been
polite to offer. Laura swung like a pendulum. You could almost see
how all her blood was going to her head, turning her vaguely pink
skin crimson-red. If you looked close enough, her eyes looked that 33
they were about to bust from her skull, pushed out by all that
blood. She also looked hungry, like all of them, going by the drool
that was coming out of all of their mouths. They had been without
food for hours now! Harrys stomach even ached a bit.
It was then that Billy appeared again, as if spat out by the
darkness. He had a bag in his hand that he threw to the floor: I
got this for you, but be careful and ration it, its gonna be a long
trip. He turned around, his butt disappearing under the seats
again.
They all stayed put for a few seconds, but then Carrot rushed
towards the bag and looked to see what was inside. Sweets! he
shouted. Immediately, two appendages that looked like tentacles
came out of Lauras hair, knocking Carrot down and taking the
bag from him. She grinned madly at the contents of the bag, but
since she was upside down, all the kids saw was a huge, unsettling
frown. She swung nervously again and licked her long, slimy tongue
inside the bag. Her frown was more unsettling by the minute as she
started gorging. A candy bug, a chocolate spider, a multi-colored
worm, all disappeared into her mouth with a liquid sound. Then her
egg-like eyes went back to the rest of them, her tentacles shook
for a moment and a voice came from some point in her hair. Want
some?
They all held their hands out, even Harry, and they all got their
share, although Laura did keep the better part of it for herself, taking
two or three sweets for every one she handed out. Even so, the bag was
so full they all had more than enough. Suddenly, Laura disappeared with
a scream and a big smile, taking the bag with her in one of her tentacles.
After a few seconds a very different head appeared, with another
two rows over, and another on their flank; the monkeys had found
them.
Snot tried to run towards the dark, but a hand caught his leg.
34 Carrot moaned in a corner and Fart tried to keep another of the
monkeys at bay with a blue felt tip. The monkeys, as they always
did, laughed and sang the nicknames they had themselves given
them: Snot, Fart, Carrot and Little Girl! They could hear Laura
screaming. Harry wondered if Billy might appear to save them at
the last possible minute, but it soon became apparent he wouldnt.
The biggest monkey shushed the others. Didnt your moms teach
you not to steal? he said in a chilling voice. The sweets were the
monkeys? Billy was bold...crazy even! Carrot tried to mumble a lie
to save himself, and when he saw it wasnt working, tried to explain
to the chief monkey that they hadnt stolen it, that it had been
another boy. But when he was about to tell on Billy, the monkey
interrupted him: Shut up, midget! And dont worry, we are not
going to do anything to you...you have enough as it is. They all
looked at each other, lost in confusion. You dont know what Im
talking about? They all shook their heads.
A lot of these sweets have already gone bad, they shouldnt be
eaten, the big monkey made a dramatic pause, because flies had
laid their eggs in them. A shiver started in Carrots back, went
to Farts, right through Harrys and ended up on Snots. They had
eaten fly eggs! Eggs, like a chickens, but much, much smaller,
the monkey said, and they have maggots in them. The childrens
faces were caught between fear and ignorance. Worms! Worms that
grow unnoticed. They all screamed at that. Yes, and since they
wont have anything else to eat...I suppose theyll eat your guts.
He finished. All the monkeys started laughing crazily, jumping
around and shouting the childrens nicknames randomly. And then,
they suddenly disappeared.
A sound like that of a clogged pipe invaded the silence the
monkeys had left. They all turned around: the sound was coming
out of Harrys belly. Its the worms! shouted Carrot. They all
screamed.
It was too much. Harry ran up the aisle towards the front of the
bus, where the teachers sat. Ive eaten fly eggs, and candy with 35
worms; I have a worm inside that wants to eat my guts. The math
teacher and the gym teacher looked at him. Didnt I tell you to
stay seated? grumbled the man. This is one of yours, isnt he?
The gym teacher looked at him. Harry, does your tummy hurt?
she said. Harry nodded vigorously. Hold on for a bit, I think we
are going to stop soon. Why dont you sit there, with Laura, so I
can see you? Laura was crying in a seat nearby.
But..., he tried to talk back.
But nothing, said the math teacher.
He held his arms around his belly. He didnt feel pain, a tingling
sensation that danced around his tummy. So he went back under the
seats, looking for the rest of the kids. Maybe if he found Billy...
but there was no one down there. A cold wind went by, coming
from the end of the bus, and the voices from above came muffled,
like whispers...and crying. Some kind of wailing could be heard from
the end of the bus, in the darkness of the cavern barely lit by red
lights.
Harrys belly rumbled again, and the emptiness of the cavern
rumbled back twofold. He hit his belly furiously, shouting Leave
me alone! and went deeper into the darkness.
It hadnt looked that dark before; it felt like he was blind. And
suddenly his hands slipped; the floor was wet. What was that warm
liquid spilled everywhere? He thought the worst: Yuck, its pee for
sure. But it was much worse.
A hand caught his arm and he screamed with all his might. A voice
whispered in his ear: Help me! but Harry didnt listen, he just
listened to the rumbling in his belly and the panicked voiced that
shouted in his other ear for him to run. He pulled and kicked and
clawed away. His hands pushed the body that tried to catch him,
pushing away to get free. He shouted again in panic. His right hand
36 slipped and he found a wet hole. What kind of body was trying to
catch him? It had crumbled just by pushing on it, like it was made
of clay. Disgusted, Harry took his hand out of the hole. The body
fell silently beside him.
He lay very still for a few seconds, in silence except for the
rumbling in his belly. He then started crawling aimlessly, trying
to find some of his friends. He crawled for minutes, maybe hours,
and finally the unavoidable happened: he reached the end of the
cavern. His body almost didnt answer anymore. What started as a
tingling had turned into a persistent cramp, evolved into pulsing,
tearing pain, and finally, while he rested his back against the wall,
paralyzing, almost unbearable, agony.
Little Girl? he heard, a high-pitched voice. Are you there,
Little Girl? Weve come for you. To the side he heard a different,
but similar voice. Little Girl, come out to play, said a third. They
were surrounding him. There wasnt any way for him to get out!
Im Snot! said one of the voices. And Im Fart! said another.
Im Carrot! Im Laura, said a fourth voice, much deeper and
in no way similar to Lauras. Come out to play, Little Girl. They
all chanted.
Harry had been in the dark for a while and could see slightly
now, and the worms gave off a little light, too. They were half
transparent, in gaudy colors: fluorescent yellow, red, and green.
The three that were close to him stood up like snakes about to
strike. He could barely make out the form of the fourth one, but it
looked much bigger than the rest. Come out to play, Little Girl,
said the last one in a cavernous voice.
Noooooo, yelled Harry with his last breath, And stop calling
me Little Girl! The worms laughed raucously. From his belly came
a voice like the shriek of an old door: Theyre not talking to you.

37
Trick
or
Treat

I
nnocents is a game, and try to play. But if you are willing to
all games have rules. Some crack the door to your subconscious
have a lot and some not so fears, then you are welcome.
many, and some rules are RULE No. 1:
more important than others. Many
role-playing games say that the most FEAR IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT.
important rule is fun, having a good
time. Not Innocents; here the most
important rule is fear, having a bad Knucklebones
Other games use dice to randomize
time. Naturally there are those who
do not want to have too bad a time, the story, and most role players
because after all, its just a game, are so used to them that they are
right? But Innocents is about our considered an essential element
deepest-rooted fears, childhood of any game. This is one of the
fears, and seeks to revive them as differences between this game and
macabre and unnatural stories others: it doesnt use dice.
that take us back to that time To play Innocents you need
when the veil between fantasy knucklebones, and you need
and reality was the thinnest. So plenty. A knucklebone, or jack, was
if you want to have fun, laugh and originally a sheep bone used in a
make jokes, stop reading; do not childs game of the same name. You
can use any set of small counters as

38
knucklebones: cardboard tokens, Blue. Blue knuckles are used
pebbles, or whatever you find most to perform mental actions
comfortable; you can even cross and represent all intellectual
off boxes on a sheet of paper, but effort, whether it is reasoning,
well refer to them as knuckles memory, or perception. Each
nevertheless. A good substitute, character will have many as the
perhaps the best one, are candies. value of their mental age.
You can use jelly beans or candy- Green. This color is for knuckles
coated chocolates of different colors that are used in physical
to represent the different attributes actions of all kinds: speed,
of the game. When a player spends coordination, strength or
one, they can eat it as a sweet reward stamina. A character will have a
for their efforts. number of green knuckles
equal to their physical age.
Colors White. White knuckles are
Each player will need three types of used to represent fantasy,
knuckles to play Innocents, each type imagination and any other
identified by a different color: blue, manifestation of the childs
green, and white. In addition, the innocence. The number of
Master will need two different types white knuckles a character has
of knuckles, also differentiated by equals his innocence.
color: black and red. The colors of Red. Red symbolizes death, pain,
the knuckles are, like so many other and physical damage. Initially
things, a completely arbitrary decision. the characters start without red
However, in this manual we refer to knuckles; the Master assigns them
them by their color according to when they suffer damage.
the following: Black. Black knuckles represent

Manage Your Knuckles terror. Monsters, evil, or darkness


use them for all their actions,
Use a glass or other container whether physical, mental or
to store your knuckles during fantastic. Each monster, horror
the game so they dont go flying or threat of any kind will
everywhere. You can put all of have as many black knuckles
them together, since the different available as their terror score.
colors will help you identify them
and theres less control how
many of each kind are left. You
might want to keep the red ones
separate; we wont fault you for it.

39
Actions
Players describe the intentions
Too Many Knuckles?
Older children could end up with
of their characters. Many of too many knuckles. This, combined
these actions are trivial and are with the different colors, could
automatically successful. But in other mean that some groups find it
cases, players will want children impractical. It can be easily solved
to perform actions that are at by using knuckles of different sizes,
the limit of their capabilities, or making the bigger ones worth five
beyond. When this happens, you times more than the smaller ones.
must refer to the system below. If this does not work in your group
either, you could just use some
Simple Actions marks on a paper. Either way, using
knuckles makes the game easier,
They are all those actions,
especially when the players know
physical or mental, that are not
the different colors, even when you
opposed by another character;
are not using physical objects. In
like climbing a tree (physical),
our experience, small knuckles in
reciting a poem (mental),
a container make for a comfortable
sneaking through a hole in a fence
way of playing, but bear in mind
(physical) or remembering a scary
that it is not essential.
story (mental). When a player wants
his character to make a such an
action, he should describe what he or not, or how difficult something
intends to do to the Master, and how is. If a player says his character does
he is expecting to succeed. Once this is something, then he must try it, no
done, it is assumed that the child will regrets, no looking back. Thats the
try to do what the player described. way of children, often trying to do
By this we mean that, once the player things beyond their possibilities.
states that his character is trying to Example: Jamie is a 6-year-old boy who
do something, he cannot change wants to go out the window before He-
his mind; the character is already who-scratches-and-knocks-on-the-door
trying to do that thing. As we are enters his room. The player who plays
about to see, you should carefully Jamie doesnt know if his character is old
assess your characters potential enough to do it, but cant ask the Master
according to their age and what about it, so he simply announces that
they are intending to do before Jamie opens the window and reaches
stating it, or you could get into trouble... for the gutter to help himself down.
You cannot negotiate with the Master Meanwhile, the scratching ceases and the
whether you can do something door starts to open...

40
RULE No. 2: Once the player knows how
many knuckles are necessary for
EVERYTHING YOU SAY, YOU MUST DO the action to be successful, he
The way of resolving simple can choose to fail if he doesnt
actions is: the Master listens to want to lose too many knuckles. If
what the character is trying to thats the case, he must pay half as
achieve, and determines whether many (rounded down) and he will
the action is physical or mental, automatically fail the action.
and the minimum age the child Example: Jamies player decides that
should have to succeed. Then, three green knuckles are too many, so
the childs physical/mental age is he chooses to fail. He still needs to spend
compared to the one the Master one green knuckle for trying.
determined as necessary to
RULE No. 4:
complete the action:
If the physical or mental age of the IF A CHILD NEEDS TO TRY
character is equal to or greater than HARDER, THE PLAYER DECIDES
that determined by the Master, the IF HE WANTS TO PERFORM THE
action is successful with no cost or ACTION, SPENDING AS MANY
effort for the character. KNUCKLES AS IT IS NECESSARY TO
If the physical or mental age of MATCH THE ADEQUATE AGE, OR FAIL BY
the character is less than that
determined by the Master, the
ONLY SPENDING HALF AS MANY.
action is successful if the player As you can see, there is not much
spends an appropriate knuckle room for randomness from a players
type for each year that you need to point of view. It can feel counter-
reach the necessary age. intuitive that someone decides
Example: The Master tells Jamies player whether they succeed or not, but keep
that to climb down from the window in mind that this is not what happens:
he would need a physical age of 9. As Innocents characters do not decide
his is just 6, he needs to spend three to succeed or not, the players do.
green knuckles to succeed. From the childrens perspective,
the events are as random as if dice
RULE No. 3:
were being used.
IF YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO DO IT, THEN
YOU SUCCEED. IF NOT, YOU MUST TRY
HARDER.

41
It may also seem strange to pay
knuckles when you fail. There is a
reason for this: the character has
attempted an action and therefore
has made an effort. Although it has
not been enough, he will have been
affected somehow. From the point of
view of role-play, it makes players
consider which, things they should
be attempting according to their age.
What happens if a character doesnt
have enough knuckles to pay? Then the
character gets exhausted. Meaning
that damage is done and he earns
red knuckles, but not lets not talk
about it here yet. Leave the pain
and suffering for the future...

Opposed Actions
Often a character will be forced
to act in direct opposition to
another, as when playing hide
and seek or chasing each other.
In these cases, we are facing
an opposed action. The Master
decides which age - physical or
mental - is used for each character.
It will usually, but not always, be
the same for both: if two children
are racing each other to a door,
both use their physical age, but
if one tries to sneak up on the
other, physical age would be
appropriate for the first, while
for the second would be mental.

42
Once the age used is determined, action, but the Master considers
each player secretly decides what that it should be applied in this case,
their effective age for the opposed so he gets a -1. Players chose their
action will be, taking the number knuckles in secret. Georges player,
of knuckles he wants to use knowing he has an initial advantage,
without being seen by the other decides to take only one blue knuckle.
player (keeping them in his hand, Harrys player, who wants to please his
for example). The knuckles are mother at all costs, decides to take a
calculated as for simple actions: hit and use a Masters red knuckle
i.e., adding the number of knuckles (which gives +3 as discussed below).
to the childs corresponding age, The results are George: 9, Harry: 10. The
thus calculating his effective age. mother of the twins loves both, but as
When both players have done Harry cut himself making the collage,
this, knuckles are shown and he receives more praise and attention
the childrens effective ages are than his brother.
compared. The one with a higher But this is only true when the
effective age, wins, but both players opposed action is between
spend all the knuckles used. If the player characters or monsters.
winner wins by three years or Against Masters characters, actions
more, the result is a spectacular are always the simple type, and the
success for the winner and a attributes of the Masters characters
catastrophic failure for the loser. are the difficulty to be overcome. In
RULE No. 5: other words, the Masters characters
do not have knuckles.
IN AN OPPOSED ACTION, EACH PLAYER RULE No. 6:
SECRETLY CHOOSES HOW MANY
KNUCKLES HIS CHARACTER SPENDS. THE MASTERS CHARACTERS DONT
THE USED KNUCKLES ARE ADDED TO HAVE KNUCKLES, ONLY CHILDREN AND
THE CHILDS AGE TRAIT AND THE MONSTERS DO.
HIGHEST NUMBER WINS. A character can decide to hurt
himself if the player does not
Example: Twins Harry and George are
have enough knuckles to reach
making collages as Mothers Day gifts.
the effective age he wants. In that
They each want their own gift to be the
case, you can use the red knuckles
best. The Master considers that this is
from the Masters own set.
an opposed mental action. The two
have mental age of 8, but Harry has
awkward as a physical trait, which
normally would not apply to a mental

43
Narrating The Results RULE No. 7:
In a game where the players THE PLAYER NARRATES THE RESULTS
imagine what their characters OF HIS CHARACTERS ACTIONS.
imagine, What sense does it make
to have anyone else narrate the
Spectacular Successes
results of their actions? For this
reason, the player must tell the And Catastrophic Failures
result of the action taken by his In most cases, characters will try to
character, always adhering to the do something either succeed or not.
success or failure that he decided However, sometimes your success or
on beforehand. You should also failure will be especially complete
consider in your description and have greater consequences than
the type of knuckles employed: expected.
you must include an imaginary A character gets a spectacular success
component in the description if the player spends three knuckles
if you used white knuckles, more than is necessary to perform
or explain how the child was a simple action, or exceeds the
injured performing the action effective age of their opponent by at
if you received red knuckles as least three years in opposed actions.
wounds. A spectacular success has positive
Alternatively, you could let the and unexpected consequences
Master narrate failures and the for the character, giving him an
player do so only for successes, if additional advantage in the situation.
you feel you are unable to properly These positive consequences are
decide the bad things that happen determined by the Master; the player
to your character. may make suggestions, but the
This direct intervention of the Masters say is final.
player in narrating the story differs A catastrophic failure occurs when
from most traditional role-play the player chooses not to spend
games, where this role is reserved any knuckles and fails, or if the
solely for the game master. Part effective age of the character is at
of the Innocents experience lies least three years younger than his
in this, but if players are unable opponents in an opposed action.
to use this to enhance their A catastrophic failure has an
experience of the story, then especially unpleasant result for
they can do without this rule. a character; on top of failing at
his intended action, he gets into a
particularly delicate situation or is
hurt.

44
RULE No. 8: traits, hobbies, or advantages,
consider him a year older.
IF A CHARACTER EXCEEDS THE If multiple capabilities can be
DIFFICULTY TO SUCCEED ON AN applied to a specific action, add one
ACTION BY THREE OR MORE POINTS, year to the childs age for each one.
HE OBTAINS A SPECTACULAR SUCCESS. On the contrary, as you may have
IF YOU DECIDE NOT SPEND ANY guessed already, if a limitation
can be applied to the action the
KNUCKLES, A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE
character is trying to do, consider
HAPPENS. him as one year younger. As in the
previous case, if several limitations
Capabilities And Limitations apply, each one subtracts one year
Innocents characters, like children from the actual age of the character
and adults in real life, are better for that action.
at some things and worse at RULE No. 9:
others. Capabilities are things that
they are better at: their positive FOR EACH APPLICABLE CAPABILITY
traits, hobbies and advantages. OF A CHARACTER THAT MAY
Limitations are their negative traits APPLY TO AN ACTION, HE RECEIVES
and disadvantages. +1 TO THE ATTRIBUTE. FOR EACH
Each time a character is involved LIMITATION, HE GETS A -1.
in an action of any kind where he
can benefit from any of his positive

45
Although it might be When he is under the effects of
obvious, if both limitations and fear, for example in the presence
capabilities can be applied of his personal fear, the child acts
to an action, each capability as one year younger for any action
cancels a limitation. Ultimately, he takes. If the action is directly
the modifier applied is the number against what causes him fear, the
of capabilities exceeding the character is considered another
limitations, or vice versa. year younger. Being scared is
Example: Leah has been buried on considered a limitation and trying
the beach by her friends, and now a to act directly against the object
group of crabs is trying to eat her alive. of our terror is an additional
She desperately tries to free her arms. limitation.
She is 8 years old, but has the hefty
trait, which the Master considers Monsters In Action
applicable in this case. In addition, Unlike humans, monsters have
beach games is one of her hobbies, a unique score: Terror, which
and the Master decides that it can represents how feared the monster
be related to digging, so it gives her is and how strongly it is believed
another +1. However, Leah also has in around the world. Therefore,
the disadvantage sensitive skin so the when a monster performs an
Master considers that at this point she action, it always uses its terror
would be sunburnt, so he applies a -1. trait to resolve it.
Overall, the effective age of Leah for this Monsters have as many black
action is 9. knuckles as their terror score (and
Monsters and imaginary creatures vice versa) and should use them
that possess special traits receive to perform actions of all kinds,
two additional (or lose two, as physical or mental. In addition,
appropriate) points of terror, monsters lose black knuckles
instead of just one per each feature when they suffer damage. When
applicable to the action. they run out of black knuckles,
they cease to exist.
Under The If a monster spends knuckles in
Influence Of Fear an action, it adds them to its trait.
Another thing that influences the Once it performs the action, its
development of an action is fear. terror is reduced by the number
When we face what we are scared of used knuckles. The terror of a
of, we are often clumsy and make monster equals to the number of
mistakes in the simplest tasks. black knuckles available at any
time.

46
If a monster harms a child, it When a character suffers any
receives additional black knuckles: type of damage, he loses blue or
one for every three points of damage green knuckles; the choice is up
inflicted, rounded up. to the player. For each point of
In addition, each time a child acts out damage, the player must remove a
of fear (tries to run away, or performs knuckle of either color. Alternatively,
any action clearly intended to avoid a player can decide to take a red
the monster instead of confronting knuckle in place of three points of
it or hiding) the monster receives a damage; i.e. instead of removing
black knuckle. three knuckles. Of course, if there
are no blue or green knuckles left
and the child is injured, he can only
accumulate red knuckles: one
for every three points of damage
rounded up.
While the loss of green or blue
knuckles represents fatigue,
bruises and scrapes, red
knuckles are dangerous wounds
that can seriously hurt the child,
so be careful...
Example: Fleeing diabolic giant worms
that have come into her room, Christine
falls, rolling down the stairs; she splits
RULE No. 10: her head open and ends up completely
A MONSTERS TERROR TRAIT bruised. The Master determines that she
IS ALWAYS EQUAL TO THE NUMBER receives four points of damage. Christines
player decides to spend a green knuckle
OF BLACK KNUCKLES IT HAS. AS A
and receive a red one (equivalent to three
MONSTER SCARES OR HARMS A points) as a result of these injuries.
CHILD, IT EARNS BLACK KNUCKLES.
RULE No. 11:
Pain And Suffering A CHILD LOSES A BLUE OR GREEN
There are many ways in which a KNUCKLE FOR EACH POINT OF
child can get hurt. Innocents is not a DAMAGE, OR HE CAN RECEIVE A
game about violence but about fear, RED KNUCKLE FOR EACH THREE
although the two often go hand in POINTS OF DAMAGE; IT IS THE
hand. Violence can engender fear
PLAYERS CHOICE..
and fear can lead to violent reactions.

47
Getting Hurt A character cannot receive
red knuckles to replace white
We mentioned earlier that a child (Imagination) knuckles, and using
could get hurt if the player decides red knuckles provides no bonuses
to spend more knuckles than he to purely imaginative actions.
has performing an action, or chooses
Example: While she rises from the ground
to voluntarily hurt himself rather
and touches her bloodied forehead,
than spend all necessary knuckles
Christine sees a worm crawl out of her
of the correct type. Instead of (or
room and down the stairs. Christines
in addition to) using green or blue
player describes how she gets up and
knuckles, or once he has run out of
tries to jump over the railing to get to the
the appropriate type, the player can
bottom of the stairs. The Master decides
add red knuckles to his character.
she must be 11 years old to achieve it,
Each red knuckle the character
and Christine only has a physical age
adds to their damage count
of 8, three years less. She would need to
equals three green or blue
spend three green knuckles to succeed,
knuckles, reflecting the great
but the player decides that Christine
effort they put into completing
hurts herself again, taking a red knuckle,
the action.
which equals the three she needs. The
RULE No. 12: player describes as, crying from pain
WHEN HE STRIVES, A CHARACTER and fear, Christine laboriously climbs
the railing and falls to the other side,
CAN GET HURT AND RECEIVE A RED
twisting her ankle in the fall.
KNUCKLE IN EXCHANGE FOR +3 TO
A SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTE FOR THAT
ACTION.
Wounds
Children will hurt themselves in
Why does a character hurt himself? numerous ways: falling down,
The player should explain it as a result being hit by monsters, etc. When
of his characters action. When the this happens, they will lose green or
action is physical, it will be easy, but blue knuckles and gain red ones for
when its mental he will need to get their wounds. The question is, how
more inventive. A child that takes many? The answer is quite simple.
a red knuckle in a mental action All attacks have a force equivalent
to find a toy in the attic could have to the attackers physical age plus a
hurt himself while rummaging in modifier for the object used to attack.
a box whose contents has partially Sources of damage such as fire, guns,
fallen on him, for example. or falls have their own particular
force decided by the Master, without
depending on anyones age. The force

48
of the monsters equals their terror Example: One worm bites
score at the time of the attack. The Christine, secreting a hot, nasty acid.
damage suffered by the victim of The worms terror is 9 and the Master
the attack is equal to the monsters secretly spends three black knuckles
force minus the child physical age. to raise it to 12. Christines player spends
This damage is the number of green a green knuckle to raise her physical
or blue knuckles the child spends as age from 8 to 9, not enough to prevent
the result of the damage. If you do the attack. The monster hovers over
not have enough knuckles of these the terrified girl, secreting a viscous
colors or prefer to keep them, you liquid and spreading an unpleasant
can choose to receive a red knuckle rotten smell. As the attack is three
for each three points of damage or points higher than Christines defense, it
part thereof. Red knuckles, as we delivers three points of damage to the
said, represent real wounds, blood, a child. Christines player could spend
lot of pain, sprains, fractures... any combination of green and
RULE No. 13: blue knuckles up to three, but she
thinks thats too many and decides
THE DAMAGE RECEIVED BY A to accept another red knuckle,
CHARACTER IS EQUAL TO THE equivalent to three points of damage.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE The bubbling acid falls on her face
ATTRIBUTE OF THE ATTACKER AND and neck; the girl starts shrieking as her
burned skin begins to blister.
THE CHILDS.

49
While this is happening, Example: Christine is lying on the floor
Christines younger brother, Andrew, and the worm is ready to pounce on her...
has been at the mercy of another When the worm opens its mouth to devour
worm, ready to devour him as her, Christines cousin, Anna, appears in
he tries to follow his sister down the front of it with a lamp in her hands ready
stairs. Andrew has a physical age of 6 to break it on the monsters head. Annas
and the worm has a terror score of 8. physical age is 9 and the worms terror
As Andrew has the quick feature, the is 7 (it was 9 before, but it spent 3 points
Master considers that his effective age to attack Christine, remember? That
is 7. The Master and Andrews player dropped it to 6, but since it caused three
choose the number of knuckles they points of damage, the worm regained a
will use for this opposed action and the black knuckle). The player and the Master
result is as follows: Andrews player secretly pick the knuckles they will use:
spends two green knuckles, and Annas player spends 2 blue ones, raising
raises his effective age to 9, while the her effective age to 11; the Master decides
Master spends four black knuckles that the worm, surprised by the decision
for the worm and raises his score of the girl, will not spend any, leaving
to 12. The grotesque creature grabs its effective score at 7. Anna wins the
Andrew by the arm and throws him opposed action and manages to stun the
against the other side of the room, worm by breaking the lamp on its ugly
causing three points of damage, so face. The Master decides that the damage
Andrews player decides to spend two modifier for the lamp is +1 which,
blue knuckles and one green, because of added to the 4-point difference obtained
the blows and dizziness. by Annas attack, gives a total of 5 points
of damage. The worm squeaks while its
Hurting Monsters body shakes violently as it deflates; the
Monsters, as we know, have a single Master removes 5 black knuckles from the
score that determines its power, monsters pile, leaving a measly 2.
Terror. That same score is used to
determine how much damage they Unconsciousness And Death
can endure. Each time the monster We know that as a character suffers
suffers damage, it loses a black wounds they accumulate red
knuckle for each point of damage knuckles. But how much damage can
taken. When a monster is out of a character accumulate? How much
black knuckles, either because will he endure before being sent to the
it has used them all, or because other side?
of damage received, it dies and A character dies when their red
disappears, becoming a shadow, a knuckles are equal to or more than
pile of dirty clothes, etc. their physical age and a short period

50
of time has passed. By this we mean aid requires a mental action,
that, even when the character suffers with a difficulty between 11 and 15
enough wounds to die, there are still depending on the severity of the
a few seconds to save him, if you act wound and at the discretion of
quickly. If that moments passes (and the Master. If the action is successful,
the Master is the one that decides the wounded child gets rid of a red
when that will happen) the character knuckle. If the success is spectacular,
is dead and the rest of the gang can he gets rid of three. In case of a
only mourn him and pray for his soul. catastrophic failure, the patient
RULE No. 14: receives one or two additional
red knuckles at the discretion
IF A CHARACTER ACCUMULATES of the Master. Healing rituals are
AS MANY RED KNUCKLES AS HIS discussed later, in the section about
PHYSICAL AGE, HE DIES. imagination.

Getting Better
A character without knuckles is
Imagination
When a child imagines
only slightly bruised and has minor
injuries from which they can recover something, he lives what he is
quickly. Perhaps he has sprained imagining; when he shares it with
something, but its nothing serious others, they all live through it together.
and he will soon be fresh as a daisy. Usually, imagining is believing the
unreal could happen; in Innocents, it
On the other hand, if the character
is something more: it is making them
has red knuckles, then he has suffered
happen.
real damage. Hell be sick, dizzy,
fatigued, and sore. Hed feel better Using his imagination, a child can
if he were in bed, drinking hot milk do things beyond his means, things
and eating cookies and resting. But he could not bring to fruition if
we know that under the bed and in he was to face them normally. In
the closet can hide many surprises... addition, imagination can give
unpleasant surprises. Anyway, in special abilities to normal objects
this state a character gets rid of a red and make things happen that
knuckle a week. shouldnt.
And what about hospitals, first aid and For others to benefit from what is
other healing rituals, such as kissing being imagined, they must know
it better? In a hospital, under the what it is. We can imagine a secret
supervision of doctors and nurses, a door to help us escape from the
character recovers twice as fast. First attic, but if we dont tell others, they

51
cant use it as well. Therefore, it is In any another case the rule is that the
recommended that, in general, the Master determines the age required
character states what he imagines to undertake the action as usual,
as if it were true. but for this the player can spend an
Regarding imagined things, you Innocence (white) knuckle for every
can always back down, so there is three years he wants to increase his
no risk: your character might say, age, to a maximum age determined
Look, there is a secret door, lets by the Master. If the description is
scape through it! and the Master particularly good or original, the
tells you to use two white knuckles Master may decide that it is necessary
to make it happen. If you decide to spend one Innocence knuckle less.
not to spend those two knuckles, RULE No. 15:
you can simply add Oh, no! Its
too small, we cant go anywhere A CHILD CAN IMAGINE HE CAN DO
and everything will be as it was. SOMETHING AND EARN +3 FOR EACH
WHITE KNUCKLE USED.
Imagine You Can Do It
A child can imagine himself
doing things he normally Kissing It Better
couldnt, or doing normal things With a kiss, your ma or grandma
in a supernatural way. Instead of could make any wound feel
climbing a tree, she can imagine better instantly. Then you tried
flying to the top; instead of hearing to repeat the same miracle
a monster approaching, he can when your little brother fell off
imagine that his inner radar detects the swing and ended up lying
it. In order to do this, the childs on a pool of blood, because
player must make a brief but of broken glass left behind by
complete description of what he
unscrupulous teenagers.
wants to do and how he will do it.
The player must try to be original: Let a child try to heal another child
the mind of a child is in constant this way, using his imagination.
motion and the same trick will not The healer will have to spend
work twice, neither will another two white knuckles for each red
characters trick. If the Master one that he wishes to remove,
considers that the player is not as well as describing the whole
being original enough, or thinks process as colorfully as possible.
it is inappropriate for any other And, of course, the same method
reason, then the action is resolved as wont work twice.
if it were a normal one.

52
A player can combine knuckles of him on the ground safely. The Master
various kinds in the same action, using decides that the age necessary for such a
the appropriate physical and mental jump is 13. Andrew is 6 but spends 2
knuckles, using his imagination, and white knuckles to raise it to 12. Thus,
even exhausting himself, unless the Andrews player only needs to spend a
action is purely imaginary, in which green knuckle to succeed: Andrew jumps
case the character can use only white out the window, where a magical cloud
knuckles. is waiting to lower him to the ground.
RULE No. 16: If an adult had witnessed the scene, he
would have seen a little boy jumping
DIFFERENT TYPES OF KNUCKLES MAY from a window and falling on a pile of
BE COMBINED IN THE SAME ACTION, dry leaves, miraculously unhurt.
EXCEPT FOR PURELY IMAGINED
ACTIONS, IN WHICH ONLY WHITE Imagine This Is Something Else
KNUCKLES CAN BE USED. A hair dryer can be a ray gun, a
Example: Cornered against the wall by mop a swift winged horse, and
the worm, feeling a myriad of glittering the stuffed gorilla with whom
eyes upon him, Andrew desperately looks we sleep can come to our aid at
towards the open window. Before the any time; you just need to believe.
worm attacks again, he decides to jump An object imagined this way can
out of the window, where he hopes his be as powerful as the number of
magic cloud will pick him up and deposit white knuckles the player spends

53
imagining it. Other characters can duration, it can provide a +2 or +3
also imagine the same object and if it is only effective for one action. If
contribute with their knuckles. other children want to benefit from
If the object hurts a monster, each event you imagined, they would need
white knuckle will add a +1 modifier to spend some knuckles, receiving
to the damage. If the object purpose the corresponding spending bonuses.
is to help the child move, then it will RULE No. 18:
be faster the more knuckles used.
Overall, three knuckles should be A CHILD CAN IMAGINE THAT
the maximum spent for any object. SOMETHING HAPPENS BY SPENDING
If what you imagined is an animated ONE OR MORE WHITE KNUCKLES.
being, like a fantastic creature, each
imagination point spent on it will
give it two Fantasy points, the Recovering
equivalent of Terror for good
imaginary beings.
The imagined object will remain
Knuckles
So far we have only talked about
as such for the rest of the scene, spending knuckles, but how can you
returning to its usual appearance recover them? The answer, as with
and function at the end, unless more most role-play games, is very simple:
white knuckles are used. whenever the Masters wants. There are
RULE No. 17: some criteria that can be used though:
Scene change: When a period of time
A CHILD CAN IMAGINE THAT AN elapses outside of the game, or there
OBJECT HAS SPECIAL ABILITIES USING is a clear change of scenery, it is a
ONE OR MORE WHITE KNUCKLES. good time to allow all characters to
recover one green, one blue, and
Imagine Something Happens two white knuckles.
A child can use his imagination The passage of the time: When a long
to make something happen. For time has passed between one scene
example, he can imagine that his and another (several days) the
mother comes to help him, or that Master may allow the characters to
the walls of the house fall down, or recover all their knuckles.
anything else. The Master should One last effort: If a character spends
consider that the effect will last his last knuckle and is in the middle
for a scene and provide the child of a conflict, the Master could let
a +1 modifier for each knuckle him recover one blue, one green,
used. If the effect has a more limited and two whites.

54
RULE No. 19: atmosphere of terror, give him
a knuckle. Let the player choose
THE MASTER DECIDES WHEN the type of knuckle he wants,
CHILDREN RECOVER KNUCKLES, even if he has the full number of
NORMALLY WHEN THERES A CHANGE those knuckles.
OF SCENE, TIME PASSES, OR THE LAST
Knuckles granted by good
KNUCKLE IS SPENT IN THE MIDDLE OF
performance in excess of the
A FIGHT.
normal limit of a character can
Good Roleplaying only be used during the scene in
This is a roleplaying game, and which they were granted: at the
although the more or less successful beginning of the next scene the
interpretation of the character is a character loses any excess ones
requirement of the game, it is good he had. This way players are
to reward players when they give encouraged to use the extra
especially inspired performances. knuckles in the same action
When a player has a shining moment, in which they got them.
be it with a detailed or entertaining RULE No. 20:
description of a particular action, GOOD PERFORMANCES SHOULD BE
or somehow contributing to the REWARDED WITH KNUCKLES.

55
The King Of The House
It rained, and there was thunder above, but the soldiers were about to take
the pot in the balcony.
Paul had given the proper orders to his second, General Wendy, who directed
an infantry battalion close to his mothers aspidistra. From down there you could
see the Pirate who, because of his qualifications as a sailor and his low morals,
usually served as a lookout for the enemy. He could also be heard, since he was
shouting while atop the colossal plant, swinging dangerously from one side to the
other. The wind was so strong that it bent the branches from the top all the
way to the floor, leaving the buccaneers butt close enough for a bayonet from
the soldiers storming the pot on one side, and dangling over a deep abyss on the
other. The poor devil would have loved to defect, but it was too late now; the
battle was lost.
But the Green Man laughed, still convinced he could win. Perched upon the
balcony railing, as if he was invincible, he shouted orders left and right. One of
them was to open the valves and flood the pot, making it overflow with water,
which swept over the battlefield, taking leaves, dirt, and soldiers with it. Some
men went over the balcony into the street, far from any help, even Pauls.
The Green Mans laugh, so nasal, resonated with a sneer. But as I said, all
was lost. A terrifying roar shut out even the thunder, and from the mounds of
dirty laundry came a green giant, almost as tall as the pot itself. It got closer,
shambling under its own weight and stature, its great footsteps crushing foes and
allies alike. Then even Green had to accept defeat; the monster would destroy
his tower with a single blow. He had to flee.
Not that that was going to be a problem, he was used to it by now. In fact,
it would be specially easy this time, since the Porcelain Pigeon was waiting on
the shelf, hidden between two decorative plates. She quickly came to the call of
her evil master and before anyone could react, not even the soldiers who were
storming the railing, they were out of range of both catapults and rifles.
What a great day! Of course, it would have been very different if Green had
56 read the giants mind. Hulk couldnt have understood his mission, or even that he
belonged to the army of the Emperor Paul the Third. Truth to be told, what the
Green Man had considered to be a maneuver was more a product of confusion; the
giant was constantly looking to the general and shrugging. No, no, unacceptable.
It could have been the doom of the Empire. A court-martial or something worse
would have to follow the battle. Even so, in spite of some peoples cowardice,
this was, like I was saying, a historic day. After the offensives north and south
of the living room, the whole territory would fall into the hands of the emperor
today. Future campaigns would have to take the conquest to the hall or even the
storage room, feats never attempted before. And some day Green and he would
face each other in duel. Some day.
Honey? Were home, said ma from the door. Paul took a quick look at the
battlefield and put his hands to his head. What a mess! Not only were all the
toys scattered across the living room, the water he had poured into the pot had
swept a lot of dirt onto the balcony floor. And that wasnt even considering that,
because of the fierce swinging the plant had endured from the elements, it was
bent. And where was mas Porcelain Dove? It had disappeared with his rider.
Honey, I want to introduce you to someone.
When Paul turned around, what he saw left him paralyzed. It was him, the
Green Man, standing right there beside his mother like it was the most normal
thing in the world. Impossible! How did he get so tall? Now he was much taller
than Paul, at least twice his size. his voice high-pitched, and his laugh nasal...
but he was huge now.
Ma seemed happy. She said they had met by chance. But coincidences dont
exist. Only the infinitely complex plans of those who rule reality. The Man...
the Green Man was an evil genius. No doubt he had managed to trick her into
believing it was normal that theyd meet each other every day while having
breakfast. Day after day he had poured his venomous words into her ear until
she had succumbed. Ma had been so lonely; there had been dad before, but he
suddenly left one day. And Green had to know that, he got into peoples heads;
he had to know because that was the start of the Great War.
You are not going to say anything, honey? You have to be polite to visitors.
Green was smiling. You both have to get on. Green put his hand in top of
Mas shoulder, a hand that looked more like a snake. We are gonna be a happy
family. Pauls scream must have been heard not only in the whole building, but
57
in the whole block, the whole country.
But the battle was lost from the beginning, and no matter his shouting and
tantrums, his fate was sealed. Ma tried to make it so Paul didnt see them
together, but Green wanted to rub his victory in Pauls face and tried as hard as
he could to do so. He came around suddenly with flowers on a Saturday afternoon,
or some nights he accompanied her home, making excuses about how he was afraid
something might happen to her. Then came the plans to try and make Ma believe
he wanted to be friends with Paul. The amusement park, where Paul managed
to sit between them all the time and elbow him at every possible opportunity,
disguising it as part of some scare; or taking advantage of the rides they had to
be very close on. Still that wasnt enough, and Green took Mas hand or hugged
her, even kissing her on the lips when he could get her to believe that Paul
couldnt see them. On the lips. Although the worst was when, teasing, he took
Pauls hand, or tried to lift him and spin him around, or give him a filthy kiss on
the cheek to say goodbye, with his fetid Green breath.
Then one day... Honey, weve thought that since we spend so much time
together, maybe it should be like that all the time. All the time! We should
live together. And of course, this time there were no screams, no crying, no
tantrums; just cold fear.
Green moved with them on a stormy day, clearly chosen to stain his victory
on the East Watchtower. He had almost no boxes. God only knows where he had
gotten those! His minions, soldiers in white uniforms, stacked them on the hall,
forming a small barricade in front of Pauls door so he couldnt go out, so he
wouldnt bother him. Well the joke was on him, because Paul couldnt get out,
but no one was getting in either, and he would have time to go through some of
Greens boxes.
Pictures! He hadnt even bothered choosing a false family that fit; those
people werent even remotely Green. The alleged father was a very fat man who
looked like a very nice person, clear indication he couldnt be Greens father.
The supposed mother was very thin, with a skin that was more pink than white,
full of wrinkles. Who were they? Some black and white pictures had a kid in them,
one Green would try to impersonate in front of Ma, but he didnt look similar
enough. The liar was going to get caught! As soon as he had a chance he would
58 show Ma the pics and unmask him. He only needed to have a few moments with
her, alone.
But it was so difficult. Since he moved in, Green had followed Ma around,
perhaps knowing of the pictures theft. He insisted on going with them when
Ma took Paul to school in the morning, and both of them picked him up in the
afternoon. They had lunch and dinner together. He even slept in the same room
she did! The only moment the two of them were apart was a few minutes very
early in the morning. Paul discovered it by chance, one morning when the need
to pee woke him earlier than he had ever woken up before. He heard a noise and
peeked through his door into the hall, just in time to see Green coming out of
Mas room, half asleep, and going to the bathroom. He could hear the cold and
hot water faucets running, and later a chilling noise that he had heard a few
other times while Green was in the bathroom, like a metallic buzz. Ma was still
in the bedroom, it was his chance.
The door made almost no sound when he opened it. He took one step into the
hallway, then another. Every step accompanied by the mad drumming from his
heart, that got louder the closer he was to the bathroom door. He was so close.
When he was halfway across, only a few feet away from Mas bedroom door, he
went very still. There was a small ray of Green light coming from the bathroom
door. Just a thin line, maybe he could jump over it. But the ray climbed all
the way up the wall, it was like an invisible wall. A trap! His right foot advanced
until his toes were barely touching the Green strip. He panted and his heart
thundered. He felt like he was going to faint for a second. And then the metallic
buzz stopped. Paul ran back to his room like the Devil himself was after him,
slamming the door closed and crawling under his bed as fast as he could, leaving
behind only an endless silence. His breath kept catching and hiccupping in his
throat. Tears prickled his eyes, but he didnt dare let them fall. The cold floor
tiles prickled at his skin where the pajama top had come unbuttoned. A loud
silence, then. And then a sudden ending when Greens knuckles sounded across
the house while he rapped Mas door.
What happened, honey, did you not make it in time? The Emperor felt his
wet pajama pants and started crying.
The next few days were quiet. Paul had shown his hand, and thought hed
better behave for a while to confound his foe. He stayed in his room, pretending
to play, but he had completely lost interest in Wendy and the small soldiers who 59
could no longer do anything. That being said, he woke up as soon as possible and
tried to learn his enemys habits. It was that way he managed to figure out how
much time he really had to contact Ma; as little as ten minutes and as much as
fifteen.
One night, when they thought him asleep and were watching TV in the living
room, Paul slipped unseen down the hall and into the main bedroom. More scared
of being found out than of the dark, he got into the closet and closed the sliding
door. He hid himself among the winter coats. The plan was simple: he would wait
until daylight and, when Green left the room and went into the bathroom, he
would jump out of the closet and show Ma the pictures, unmasking his foe at last.
Whispers woke him. Oh, stop, said ma in a very low voice. The bedroom light
turned on and drew a thousand lines on Pauls side of the closet. It was hard to
know what time it was, but it must still have been night time. A little click in
the bedroom door: Green had locked it from the inside. Had he realized that Paul
was inside the closet? He stayed very still and payed closed attention. Strange
noises could be heard from the outside the closet. A drawer? A laugh? Yes,
Greens nasal laugh. Another click? The light suddenly went out. Afterwards,
whistling whispers sounded for a while. What was that? A sob? Something like a
muffled moan, louder each passing second. It sounded like Ma! What was that
ruffian doing to her? The wheezes turned to pants, and then almost to screams.
And Paul couldnt stop thinking about Green on top of Ma, crushing her with his
weight, bending her neck backwards until it almost broke. Between rattles she
was trying to ask for help, but the words came out mangled, unintelligible. And
Paul couldnt move, he really couldnt. Silence.
The closet door opened suddenly, but Green only took his shirt and trousers
without noticing Paul. He left the room and went to the bathroom like he had
done every other morning. Very, very slowly, the closet door opened again and
its little occupant jumped out. Mas body was laying on the bed, not moving,
and with only a blanket over it. Paul extended his arm towards her hand, which
dangled from the side of the bed grotesquely, and pulled hard. Eh? Whats
going on? Honey, what are you doing here, are you alright? She was still alive!
Paul jumped on the bed like a madman. Holding to Mas neck he started kissing
her whole face while he laughed and cried. Whats wrong honey? Desperately
60 he pulled the crumpled pics out of his pocket and put them on her hand What
is this? But all the screaming must have alerted Green, who came back into the
room running, trying not to get discovered. When he saw him, Paul reacted like
he should have done last night: he jumped onto his enemy, punching and kicking
him and screaming furiously.
Ma was very sad. She had finally realized what kind of monster she had invited
to live with them. But she must have been very scared, because she didnt kick
him out. After that she barely talked, and looked at him with sadness in her
eyes, and probably with some guilt for having started this.
The Great War ended one day, just like it had started. One of those few times
Ma left Green and Paul alone together. At first his enemy tried to feign not
being interested, going over some work stuff on the living room table while Paul
played at the pot again. He could tell Green didnt like seeing him there, now
that the house was totally his territory. He looked at him from the corner of his
eye, but did nothing. Then Paul took a soldier and buried it in the dirt, making
everything even messier. That was too much for him. He stood up and looked at
Paul. You could feel the rage fizzing in his hair. Paul, mud-smeared, smiled and
stood up, triumphantly taking the Pirate and showing it to him, Greens precious
second in command. The enemy looked at him wordlessly. So he turned around
and threw the Pirate into the street with all his strength. It was a gamble...and
it worked! Who would have thought Green felt responsible for the death of one
of his men when he had so often put them in danger? But thats how it was.
Green leaped towards the balcony and Paul only had to get in his way for him to
fall out of their lives. Wheres you Porcelain Pigeon now, huh? Shouted the
Emperor with all his strength.
Curiously, a few seconds later the door to the street opened. Why are you
shouting, honey, whats wrong? Paul threw himself onto Mas arms singing and
laughing: The War is over.

61
the
Hand that

rocks the

Cradle

I
nnocents is a horror game, doesnt know how the universe works,
but is very different from taking as physical law that which is
other games on the same nothing more than chance.
subject. Why? Because The Master should try to make
Innocents is a game focused on players understand those magical
childrens terror. Childhood is the idea about life: The fact that the
most terrible human stage. By thinking front door takes you to the street
about the knowledge of reality and is nothing more than a probability,
how it works, and belief in a causal not a certainty; that dropping an
universe, everything is ultimately apple and it hitting the ground
settled, to give us the stability that it is what usually happens, but
allows us to live our lives oblivious sometimes it will fall into the sky.
to the horrors that lurk outside. It This cannot be true according to
is during childhood that these ideas physical rules, it may even not be
are taught and internalized, but true according to the rules of the
the child perceives reality as messy, game, but that is something that
chaotic, and unpredictable, without children do NOT know.
immutable laws or axiomatic truths. In this chapter we will discuss the
In the end, the child assumes that he various tools and techniques that

62
the Master can use to create and but remember that children are
direct stories of childhood terror, unpredictable and always add
but I will advance the first and only something to the story.
rule: MAKE THEM BE AFRAID. Any
advice or suggestion that appears
in this manual that contradicts this
Where Everything Starts
First, you must introduce the
basic rule is invalid. And remember characters and where the action
what happens to children who do is set. Once the children can
not obey the rules... interact with each other and
with their environment, the

Tell Me A Story Master can present a story hook


that will start introducing some
The Master has many responsibilities tension, be it the childrens
as an adult: look after the children, location (such as a basement
prepare snacks, and invent stories and or an abandoned house)
activities so the children do not get or circumstances (they are
bored. Some of these responsibilities, alone, or the babysitter has
like snacks, can be left to the children, left them watching a horror
but creating the story is something movie) or secondary characters
only the Master can do. (a sketchy gardener, or neighbors
who never leave their house).
Like any story, Innocents are divided
into beginning, middle, end, and Example: Nicolai, Ivan and Tatiana
epilogue. They are subject to many are Russian orphans living in a
modifications once they start, because partially-destroyed orphanage. Most
children will often interpret and children have been transferred to newer
adapt the story according to their institutions and there are only a few
experiences and likes and dislikes; left in this wing, waiting for a space
the Master must be prepared to use to open for them somewhere else. Once
these for greater understanding of the presentation of the site is finished
the story. Although you may have (orphanage), let the children introduce
thought out the plot of the story, it themselves and talk to each other and
is better to integrate the fantasies of the secondary character (a shady-
the players characters and not try to looking janitor); then the Master
impose the vision that you had about introduces the hook: the children
what would happen in the story. You are meeting at night to tell horror
can try to guide the characters using stories.
hooks such as horror stories told
by a minor character or other means,

63
Where Everything Happens Epilogue
This is the main part of the story, After a terrifying end, the Master
where the plot and relationships can describe what happens next,
presented previously are developed. even if all the children have died.
Children get into trouble, talk among A good way of giving an overview
themselves or with minor characters, can be summarizing the story from
or try to explore that abandoned the point of view of the adults. But
house. It is time for the Master to remember that their point of view
crank up the feeling of terror in is not any truer than the childrens.
the children, until it reaches a point Example: The ghost chases Vicky and
where everyone has goosebumps; chokes her with its icy fingers as it chuckles,
enter the house or turn the key with a sound that reminds you of a steam
forbidden room: then everything train... When the babysitter manages to
they feared happens. open the garage door, she finds your corpses
on the floor and the car engine running:
Where Everything Ends the official report will state that the cause
The children face their fears, of death was carbon monoxide poisoning,
represented as monsters but if anyone had survived you could have
created by their own imagination, explained what really happened...
and come out victorious or defeated, It can be fun for the players to describe
dying or worse. Invariably, the how their characters have lived
monster is invincible to direct through such a terrifying experience,
confrontation and the children will but the Master can also impose his
have to flee to find a way to defeat vision of what happened.
him with the power of friendship, Example: After facing the Lord of the Spiders,
a toy bow, or ones sacrifice. The a monster wearing a dirty raincoat and
end must be vibrant, ominous and whose body was only made of cobwebs and
disconcerting. Howling monsters spiders, three children survived. The Master
and screaming children eager to explains that the police found them in an
act... How it ends is up to them. old cellar, Emilys cold body is covered by a
trench coat. The Master asks two of the three
players what happens to their characters
after these events and they decide that their
parents send them to boarding school. The
sinister Master had another plan in mind for
the third child, who was scared of spiders: in
the last scene, the child is locked in a padded
room; the Lord of the Spiders whispers in his
ear that it will replace him
64
Children Need Rules make everyones story
better. Try saying I attempt
to overcome my fear
For everything to go as planned,
and put a brave face on,
the Master should read these
but you see it takes me an
simple guidelines to the children,
extra second to gather enough
or write them down somewhere
strength to turn the knob, and

1.
where everyone can see them.
veeeeeeery slowly open the
Do not argue with the Master: door, or Aaaaaaaaag! I
sometimes children may almost dodged the knife but
think that what the Master he managed to stab me in
is being unjust, but thats the stomach.

4.
not true. If you think he has
Suspension of disbelief:
made a mistake, raise your
forget who you really
hand and politely explain
are and live the story.
your thought process.

2.
Remember when you
Play your character: the best played with your friends
part of the role is to interpret pretending you were a
your character. When your cowboy or a cop and, for
character talks, do it directly a moment, try to recover
without saying my character that innocence. Because that
says ... and when he does is the aim: to regain that
something, speak in first innocence until something
person. Remember that other runs you over and steals it.
children and the Master do

Fear And Storytelling


not know what goes through
your head; it would not go
amiss to describe when you
are scared, look surprised Fear is ingrained in our brains, a
or are trying to remember necessary evil for our survival, even
something. though it could potentially put us

3. The story is yours to tell: in danger. Everyone has felt fear


through acting and how you before and we are all scared of
describe what happens and something. Facing those fears
how you interact with other without putting yourself in
children and other people. harms way is the purpose of
Dont just say I open the every horror story ever told. We
door or I spend a green are going to go through some of
knuckle; adding flare will the most common fears. This doesnt

65
mean that these are the only or
the best ones, you know your
Darkness
players and the source of their Another ancestral fear; night time,
darkness and the abyss have always
fears better than anyone.
been associated with evil. When the
Helplessness lights are turned off, monsters come
to get the children. Nothing good
Not being able to stop bad things happens at night, thats why there
from happening, finding out your are street lamps, but even they cant
own weakness, leaving behind the manage to keep the monsters at bay.
notion of a safe and just world; all Evil beings lurk in the shadows at
these can leave you feeling helpless night, waiting for you to fall asleep so
and undermine your confidence they can pounce on you. They hide
in yourself and in the future. in the darkest corners, ready to take
That helplessness causes fear. you to their kingdom to strip you of
Feeling powerless when facing all your organs and sell them to the
everyday horrors and knowing highest bidder.
that nobody can help you At night, it is best to leave the light on
might make you prefer a quick and remain awake in case something
death rather than waiting for the tries to eat you.
final blow.
Darkness causes fear and a sense
Its easy to give the children this of helplessness; no one can protect
feeling in game; after all, they are you. It is easy to replicate this in your
children in a world of adults. They story; you just need to state that it is
are weak, adults treat them differently, nighttime or that a light suddenly goes
and their opinions are never taken off. On the other hand, a dimmed
into account. It can be reinforced light that doesnt allow you to see too
even further by making the children far ahead, but it is bright enough to
do things they dont want to or having allow you to catch a glimpse of the
them try to perform tasks that are horrors you are about to face, can be
outside of their capabilities. more frightening than total darkness.
Example: Mary and Tim manage to Example: Mary and Tim are locked in the
escape from the monster awaiting room, but their mother has given them a
them in the room they were sent to flashlight. Scared of the light, the monster is
when they were grounded. They run nowhere to be seen. But then the light starts
towards their father, who puts down to waver, as if the batteries are running
his newspaper and drags them back out. Every time the lights dim, they can
to the room despite their cries for help. see the monster getting closer and closer,
letting his fangs show through a crooked

66
smile. You have been very bad and you Example: Something is stalking the
are going to pay for it, he whispers. twins. Their toys disappear when they turn
around, they hear noises in their room
The Unknown when they are watching TV in the living
When you dont understand room, and they sometimes feel someone
something, you cant predict what lying down beside them. One day they find a
happens, and that uncertainty drawing of one of them murdering the other.
translates into fear. In Innocents, How is this related to the noise? Why would
the characters are children who one kill the other? Why does the drawing
dont yet understand the grown- look like one of them drew it?

Loneliness
up world, which is terrifying
enough as it is, but they also face
events that are often inexplicable When youre alone, everything
from a rational point of view. looks different. You feel smaller
A madman with an axe will scare and more vulnerable; everything
anyone. But the horror under the stairs, looks enormous and sharp, with
that stammers disjointed accusations long shadows and threatening
and disappears when faced directly, smiles. Being surrounded by
causes terror. Most Innocents stories other children does not make it
include some supernatural element or much better; at the end of the day
the need to solve a puzzle to find out nobody is there to protect you. Man
what is really happening. is a gregarious animal; we survived

67
as a species because we were able sobbing from nobody knows where,
to establish bonds that allowed knocking on the door, scratches on the
us to successfully face more window at the witching hour. Maybe
powerful species. So when were youve even heard someone breathing
alone, we fear. A reminder of how and have done everything possible to
vulnerable we are: we run towards not turn around, because you knew
our own to protect ourselves, before whatever is there would catch you, or
the chase starts. And, at least in this felt someone sitting on your bed, but
game, sometimes this unconscious pretended to sleep.
warning is too late and we are Strange noises are scary, especially
hunted down. when we cant think of an explanation
Loneliness is an easy resource to use: or simply because the sound itself is
divide the group of children; unnatural or disturbing for any reason.
one can be punished and lead Example: Eddie goes to bed trying to forget
to a separate room, the nanny the story his older brother told him about
mysteriously disappears, or a monster that stalks children in their
each child runs in a different nightmares. However, when he starts dozing
direction when they see the off, he hears a song sung by girls whose voice
monster. resonates oddly, with a certain dreamlike
Example: The twins realize that the quality: 1, 2, 3, wheres Eddie? 4, 5, 6...
being stalking them gets closer when they
are not together. However, their mother Madness
has read in a psychology journal that Crazy people are not predictable.
the desire to always be together is bad They act according to guidelines that
for twins and decides its time for them are strange or incomprehensible to
to sleep in different rooms. The twins still us, but seem so coherent to them that
talk on their walkie-talkies. Harry hears it makes us rethink whether there is
scratches on his door and drops his walkie. more than one possible reality. What
if they were right?
Noises Madness is sacred in some cultures
Have you ever been afraid when you because it represents a greater
heard a noise in the empty room understanding of the unknown;
next door? The noises are worse at maybe what frightens us about it is
night, but you can hear at any time seeing the other side in the eyes of
if you shut up and listen carefully. the insane. But we dont only fear the
Rattles, creaks, footsteps upstairs, insanity of others, we are also afraid
of our own. To lose or have lost the
standardized world view that allows

68
us to interact with others and be a
normal member of society. We are
Punishment
afraid to see the fear and suspicion We have been taught that
in the eyes of others that we sense when we do something wrong,
in our own eyes when we look at the something bad will happen to us or
disturbed. Why cant we maintain our loved ones. Our first impulse after
eye contact? Is it because of what we breaking Moms favorite vase is to
see inside, or what is reflected? hide it before anyone realizes what
weve done or, better still, to blame
Fear of madness is a recurring
someone else. This is not only
element in the stories of Innocents.
because we fear punishment, but
On one hand, antagonists may be
also because we fear being identified
crazy, or be monsters whose actions
as bad... we know that we have
and motivations are so alien that
evil within us and we believe if
we could qualify them as madmen
someone sees it, they will hate
if they were human. On the other,
us. The only way to hide this
children are facing situations where
is to lie, lie until you believe
the boundary between reality and
the lies yourself. But there is
fantasy writhes like a worm under a
always a small part of us that
magnifying glass, in which they must
will remind us, a part we ignore
fight for their own sanity as well as
it until something terrible happens,
their life, and may have to choose
and we come to the realization that
between the two.
it is the punishment we deserved,
Example: Tommies parents turn off the light although it doesnt seem rational.
in his room and he sees the teeth and eyes
Example: Jack left his brother behind in
of the monster that lurks in the shadows,
an abandoned house because a sound
closer and closer. Tommie remembers
scared him. His brother was found dead
what the psychologist told him: When the
the very next day, with one foot stuck in
monsters come, think of something else,
a broken step, having bled to death. Jack
they are not real, and tries to believe him.
denies taking his brother to the house,
He mutters to himself: Its not real, its not
but he sees in the eyes of his father that he
real, its not real.... But it keeps getting
knows the truth and hates him for his
closer. The monster looks at him, perched
cowardice. So when one night he hears
on the table. Do not look into his eyes!.
someone limping up the stairs, he has
His gaze, his gaze... Thomas will remember
no doubt about who it is and why it
those visions in his bed for the rest of his life,
goes directly to his room. He almost
trying unsuccessfully to free himself from
feels relieved when his brother leads
the straitjacket so he can end it all. And
him to the abandoned house.
night after night, the monster returns...

69
Scary Tricks
Voice
Your voice is a key element to the
story. Intonation, volume, rhythm;
everything contributes to creating a
disturbing atmosphere. There are
no fixed rules about how to use
your voice as a narrative element;
something unsuitable for some will be
ideal for others. The Master must
learn to use his voice to create
tension. A slow pace, a serious
tone, and an ornate vocabulary
is usually a winning bet to cause
fear; a quick and nervous rhythm
with short, unfinished sentences
is suitable for action scenes with
the children running from one side
to another; a normal tone of voice,
seemingly casual, will cause the
children to relax, then scream as the
monster comes out of hiding with
bloodshot eyes!

Gestures And Expressions


Gestures accompanying (or
contradicting) the voice of
the narrator are an important
element. Sure, you can say that
something is huge. However,
if you stand up and open your
arms wide, as if to encompass
its actual size, while you smile
madly, it works better. Imitating
the terrified face of a characters
sister while the monsters drag
her under the bed, or simulating

70
inability to breathe while a child can be good: anticipating that
is sucked into the muddy waters something bad is about to happen,
of a swamp helps the players and not knowing when, is scary.
empathize with the victims. Hit But you can also avoid a change
the table suddenly in the middle of in the music to try to catch them off-
a bucolic description as zombies guard.
come out from the bushes.
Your eyes can also be an unsettling Sound Effects
element. Stare at a player as The recommendations on the use
the bogeyman does the same in of music also apply to recorded
the story; pretend to raise an sound effects. One trick that works
imaginary canvas bag over your well is to record a track with strange
head, jump towards him or grab sounds related to the story and
him suddenly while you scream leave plenty of space between
and laugh maniacally. sounds to catch the children by
surprise. You can even leave the
Music speakers in a different room so
Music is one of the most effective the disturbing noises appear not
ways to get the children into the right to be related to the story.
state of mind. However, one must But these are not the only sound
know to use it properly so that it does effects you can use; the Master
not become more of a hindrance must not forget the tricks of ancient
than an aid. Ideally, you can use storytellers: to suddenly knock on
something to activate it remotely. It the table to highlight the appearance
is also convenient to have the music of a monster or how it slams a door,
in the right order to avoid getting or tapping rhythmically on the table
distracted looking for a specific song. to emulate a heartbeat or footprint.
Of course, the music selection is also
important. Horror film soundtracks Lighting
are safe bet, but you should avoid The lighting where we play is
ones that are well known, because paramount. Innocents encourages
they might distract the children and you to play at night. Lighting
throw them off the story. Preferably should be soft, just enough to see
use filler music that is somewhat the character sheet. A few candles
disturbing for normal scenes, and use on the table is usually your best
music you have chosen specifically bet. And, if they need to use the
for the frightening scenes. Listening candle to read their character sheet,
to that music will warn the children they should perhaps only have one
that things are getting serious, which candle for all of them, having to take

71
turns reading. A TV showing static puree) that simulates gook into a
illuminates in a disturbing way bag and make him stick his hand
and the buzzing can enhance this in it. Caress the players face while
feeling. Sitting around a campfire describing how the child passes
is the best way to play Innocents, but through cobwebs. A few drops of
is not always possible. blood fall on the childs hand? Ask
But lighting is not only a resource him to open his hand and drop a
to create atmosphere in the few drops of slightly heated water
room, it can also be used in (or fake blood) on it.
other ways. The Master can put Even simple things like shaking
his meanest face on and shine a hands with the player (perhaps
light from underneath, candles with a hot, sweaty hand) when
can be blown out when a the same thing occurs in the story,
sudden preternatural wind or grabbing them suddenly from
does the same to the candles behind when they thought you
being carried by the children were going to get something from
within the story or, if you the kitchen. These tricks work
have some way to program very well because they weaken the
a delay or activate some light boundary between what is real
remotely, you can use them to and what is not.
scare the children, turning them Smell is something far more
off or on. difficult to use, although it can
be used to cause subtle emotions.
Touch And Smells Burning meat and hair to simulate
All senses help to get into the story the smell of a child being cremated
and these two are often forgotten. can become disgusting, especially
A cold hand grabs the child in the when accompanying the proper
dark? Touch a bag of ice for a few narrative. Collecting sea water
seconds and then grab the player. and leaving it in a bucket near the
Is the child touching something scene can be evocative, or fill the
disgusting? Put something (e.g., bucket with bleach to simulate
an antiseptic hospital. Different
commercial air fresheners can
come in handy to simulate a pine
forest, the sea or any other effects
and are usually faster than creating
them yourself, so we recommend
this option. One last warning,
nasty odors are not recommended

72
unless they are limited inside
a bag or box and can quickly
dissipate; a lingering annoying
smell will distract the children
rather than causing the desired
effect.

Environment
We normally tell the stories in our
home, in a room set so as to appear
somewhat unsettling. Turning
off the lights, using the different
tricks weve told you, or closing
the blinds during the day are
common elements.
But what if we take a step
further? Take advantage
of a camping trip to play
Innocents around a campfire.
Search disturbing locations
such as abandoned houses or old
cemeteries (abandoned, please).
Use these disturbing locations to
mix reality and fiction, causing
fear not only in the children, but
also the players.

Clothing
Costumes can be an opportunity
to immerse the players in the
game, but can also get them out
of the story if your wardrobe is
inappropriate or ridiculous. If
the story is set in any particular
time or place, you can dress up
appropriately; as climbers if the
story is set in a boy scout camp,
or in costume for a Halloween
story.

73
Game Aids that you can find many accessories
at reasonable prices in any
By this we mean any object used
discount store that can serve as
as a reflection of one in the
game aids.
story. They increase the sense
of immersion: a simple old Bible
allows children to touch and look Distrust
and helps to determine who has it Generating distrust among players
in the game, if thats important. is a good way plant the seeds of
Examples of game aids are: paranoia and fear in the group.
extracts from newspapers (real Send handwritten notes to one
or made with a word processor), player, write notes warning of
treasure maps drawn on yellowed strange behaviors of one of the
paper and partially burned with children, take one player to another
a lighter, fake cobwebs, masks, room to talk about something,
axes with fake blood on the stress the description of how
edge, plastic knives, skulls, or
one child seems to recognize the
anything else your imagination
monster, have a monster take
and your skill allows. Remember
control of one child and force him
to roleplay it. Any stratagem used
to make the children wary of each

74
other in the story can be replicated devote himself to causing
in real life. strange noises, turn lights off
and on, appear suddenly in
Accomplices the room wearing a hockey
The use of accomplices is mask and axe, or sneak up
extremely useful but should not behind a player and whisper
be commonplace. These could something in his ear.
be people that arent playing, You can use less complicated
or someone pretending to be a tricks like giving a player
player but is really helping you. a horror story to tell. For
Accomplices can be used for example, if you play in an
different tricks to scare the abandoned house, he can tell
children. An accomplice that a story, supposedly real, of
nobody knows is in the house can what happened there.

75
The Seamstress Of Monsters (II)
Robert looked out of the classroom window to the big group of people that had
gathered around the new girl. She had hair the color of a turned-off TV with the
same shadows, two little pieces of green glass instead of eyes, skin so pale it blinded
you, and a voice as sweet as bubblegum. She was leaning against the fence that
stood between the school and a noisy, dusty construction site, her foot hooked in
one of the wire loops, her back slightly arched.
You know the new girl, dont you? said Robert, giving a friendly shove to his
classmate. Thomas, trying to sleep with his head set on his crossed arms, opened a
single eye. The new girl, whats her name? asked Robert. Why? asked Thomas,
his voice sour. Dont get mad, man, mocked Robert with a laugh, I see you like
her too. Thomas suddenly stood up and stepped towards Robert so aggressively he
stepped back a bit. Stay away from her, he said, grabbing Robert by his shoulders.
He then turned around and went out the classroom door with two bounding steps.
After a while Robert could see Thomas crossing the playground purposefully towards
the main gate. He was leaving school in the middle of the day! The strangest thing
was that the new girl ran behind him as he saw him leave, leaving her many admirers
at the fence.
Thomas, stop, she shouted. She chased after him gracelessly. He looked back
for a moment and then walked faster. Please, she said breathlessly. Thomas
stopped. Why were you leaving me alone, Thomas? she said when she got to his
side, breathing hard. He clenched his fists, his nails cutting into the palms of his
hands. You are not alone, whispered Thomas, almost to himself, and you dont
need me anymore. She stood before him and leaned onto his chest like a plank
against a wall. She put her hands in his pockets. Thats true; you are of no use to
me anymore. Tonight is the last night, she whispered back. They stayed like that
for a while. Thomas couldnt shake the perfume of her, and his legs trembled. He
stepped back. Just one more night, I promise, she begged, Cross my heart and
hope to die. He frowned as hard as he could, grinding his teeth with fury. Hope
you die, he said.
76 The night was completely dark. The few lights, coming from nearby houses, almost
didnt reach the deserted yard. But the girl seemed to have her own light, and
stood out against the black so much Billy could see her, even from afar. Those are
the clothes you bring to an adventure? He said as a greeting, pointing the light at
her. She put her hand over her eyes and answered back: Im trying out this dress
for the first time, dont you like it? Billy was sporting full camo clothes, with a
huge backpack and an airgun hanging from his shoulder. I dont think that skirt
is going to be very comfortable to jump the fence and crawl in the dark between
bushes. He said, pointing the light to his face from below. Im not doing any of
that, she shot back, You said youd go in. Are you going to go back on your
word? Id understand if you were afraid. Billy started laughing like a madman.
The only one scared here is you, he said breathlessly, still laughing. The girl
stood very still, completely serious. Maybe Billy should have thought about how
long she had been waiting. He was at least half an hour late. Half an hour in the
middle of nowhere, in the dead of the night, in almost complete darkness. She just
turned around and started walking towards the house on the hill.
That must be it. Ive never seen her, but they say you can always see her
shape on the window. The Seamstress, said the kid reverently. My barrette fell
around there, she said, pointing to some bushes that stood on the other side of the
fence. Billy pointed his flashlight: I dont see anything. He waved his flashlight
around. All this for a hair bow, he grumbled. I dont understand why we had to
come at night. Something moved near the house. What was that? The girl took
his face in her hands and got really close to him. Please. And his heart forgot
about everything else.
He left his backpack with her, and decided to try the gate before climbing the
fence. Bingo! The gate opened without a sound, even though it looked old and
rusty. A small path, flanked by huge, bushy flower pots, connected the gate to
the houses front door. It was very dark and he couldnt use his flashlight in case
someone might see him from the windows. He moved so slowly he seemed completely
still. When he got to the place the girl had pointed to, he almost couldnt think
about the mission anymore, only about getting out of there ASAP. He looked
around some bushes, but his heart wasnt into it. He looked back to the girl to see
if she could point him in the right direction, but there was no one there.
What are you doing here? said a voice behind him, scaring him wits out of him.
But it wasnt the owner of the house, like he first thought, but his classmate,
Thomas, the one who never talked. Damn it, Dopey! You almost gave me a heart 77
attack, he whisper-shouted. I should beat the hell out of you, its your fault
Im here. If you didnt spend all day bothering your little sister... Thomass face
changed; he got red with rage and suddenly jumped on Billy, yelling. But Billy
was an expert fighter and it was no trouble for him to get clear of his opponent,
who stayed on the ground, weeping. Oh, cmon, Dopey, stop that; I didnt touch
you. Billy looked around, worried that someone might have heard the fight from the
house. From where they were it was difficult to see if the old lady was still sewing
by the window. Cmon, get up and lets go, someone is going to catch us, he
said, holding his hand out to Thomas. You dont know who she is, or what she is
doing here, he said without answering. Have you heard of the chunk dog? From
the deepest part of the garden came a great roar.
Billy reacted with feline reflexes. He grabbed Thomas roughly by his arm and
started hauling him towards the gate. It almost seemed as if he didnt want to
escape! With all that dead weight, the gate looked far, far away. Angry with
Thomas, Billy turned around and grabbed him by the throat. You are not going
to get me caught, he shouted. Dopey just smiled, sadly, and looked over his
classmates shoulder. A huge shadow that looked vaguely like a dog, but bigger
than any that he had ever seen, was between them and the gate. They all stood
frozen for a second, even the monster, and then it closed the distance between
them, leaping three times, and jumped at them with its jaws wide open. Falling to
his knees, Thomas thought about what the girl had said: You are of no use to me
anymore. Tonight is the last night, and he just closed his eyes. But then thunder
broke through the garden, even louder than the barking of the chunk dog. Thomas
opened his eyes and saw Billy aiming his gun at the monster. He didnt bring it
down, but at least he was making it back away. Of course it was only a matter of
time until the rest of the monsters the Seamstress had put together showed up and
surrounded them, so Thomas put a hand on his shoulder and said: The basement
door, follow me.
Billy had to shoot a few more times before he managed to go through the cellar
door. With the last shot he thought he saw something fall from the dogs body, a
piece of meat. Perhaps because of the light, Billy could have sworn it was an arm,
a childs arm, but he had no time to check if it was. As soon as they got in they
closed the door and barred it with an old broom.
78 An hour or two passed, and Billys flashlight was starting to dim. Its gonna go
out any minute, he said, his voice shaky. Well be safe here, Thomas said, We
only have to wait until morning; this place is completely different in sunlight. Billy
looked around to the messy basement; it seemed you could find anything around
here. He turned off the light so that he decided, and not the batteries, when the
darkness would come.
Should we tell stories? Billy said after a bit of silence. Thomas covered himself
with a dusty canvas he was sitting on, on the corner furthest away from the hatch.
Billy needed to hear a voice, even his own, so he started rambling. You know what
happened a couple years back at the summer camp? He could only think about the
worst memory of his short life. You know, about those kids who died, poisoned.
Thomas never went to summer camp, so he had no idea. It was on the way back.
We were on the bus with older kids, some of them way older. It was a very long
trip, and I got bored, so I started crawling under the seats searching for some
adventure. Some of the kids from class, when they saw me, started following me.
Finally some of us got together under the seats, it was like a party, you know? He
felt silent for a moment. The memories flooded in, faster and faster. Carrot, Snot,
Little Girl... Have you ever killed someone, Dopey? he finally asked. Thomass
back stood straight and he seemed to listen, suddenly interested. Teachers said
it was an accident, that there was some kind of gas leak, that they had breathed
some smoke or something... but I know it was the candy I gave them, candy I stole
from the older boys. They found them lying on the floor, clutching their bellies and
foaming at the mouth. Like they were feeling sick, you know? It couldnt have been
a leak, because I was the one who spent more time down there, and here I am. In
the darkness, Billy allowed himself a few tears, sure that Thomas wouldnt notice.
They silence grew uncomfortable again. Is your sister gonna be fine? We left
her out there, alone, Billy reminded him. She is not my sister... and she knows
how to take care for herself, Thomas said with white fury. But I think I left the
gate open, and if the chunk dog gets out... Billy got up, ready to run to defend
the girl. The dog will never attack its creator, said Thomas hatefully.
After another stretch of silence, this one longer than the ones before, Thomas
started talking. You wanted to know if I have ever killed someone? Yes, I have.
But not by accident. I did it knowing full well what I was doing. Billy shivered at
the confession. Has she offered you a kiss yet? Thomas asked, like he had just
remembered something very important. Billy nodded and, realizing Thomas wouldnt 79
be able to see him, said yes out loud. Silence again. When I saw her for the
first time my heart started beating like crazy. I didnt understand why she was so
nice, why she held my hand or hugged me like she liked me. She had a plan from
the beginning. Tricking my parents wasnt a problem for her. I think she just had to
say please. They had always wanted a girl. My father took me out for an ice-cream
and told me all those lies about how he had to take care of her... that he was her
guardian now. That I had to be nice to her, that she had no one left and she was
coming to live with us. It was really weird, because I know where she had come
from. The first time I saw her was here. That night we managed to escape from the
giant by a hairs breadth. Id never seen a naked girl before.
Billy, still in the dark, had his eyes wide open. He understood nothing. I was
so happy in the beginning. Thomas kept going. Until she told me exactly why
she wanted to escape this place. He didnt seem to be talking to Billy anymore,
he seemed to be talking to himself. She told me she had been sewing for years
by the window on the second floor. She told me a seamstress gets bored of using
the same materials over and over again... and one day she saw us playing in the
street. His voice started to turn sour. Do you remember Mark? John? She knew
what she wanted... blue eyes, blond hair, big white teeth, pinkish nails... there was
a list. Thomas couldnt hold the tears back anymore and started crying. I dont
understand, what are you talking about?, said Billy, standing up. But its not like
he didnt understand, it was just that he didnt want to, and he still couldnt stop
thinking about the piece of meat that had fallen from the monster with his last shot,
the one shaped like an arm. An arm from someone his age. I chose the children.
Thomas mumbled. And then she tricked them into coming here, like you. The
light in the basement turned on, blinding them.
Are you down there, Thomas? And old voice said from the top of the stairs that
went to the house. Billy unshouldered his gun and pointed it at Thomas first, and
then to the top of the stairs. Dont make me go down there, Thomas. You know
Im a bit old for that, said the old voice again. Billy turned back to his classmate,
who was lying on the floor, bundled in canvas that must have been an old tent or
something like that, his eyes red with tears. Leave through the trapdoor, he
whimpered. Im staying. She still needs one more. One with long, pianist fingers,
like yours... or mine. An echo came from the stairs, one that sounded like clumsy,
80 heavy steps. Billy turned back at once, jumped towards the outside access door
and, taking out the broom, ran out into the garden full speed, gun in hand. There
was no sign of the chunk dog outside, not even a little chunk, so he headed straight
to the exit. He ran through the gate and closed it behind him. But he didnt stop
running. He kept at it non-stop, through the fields and trails, terrified by the mere
thought of the chunk dog having escaped because he left the garden gate open. He
jumped at every shadow, running all the way home.
Every night after that, all summer long, Billy lived in fear of facing the chunk
dog again. Every story of a child gone missing, or a pet found dead, torn apart,
made him remember that fateful night and his blame. He asked his parents and
other grow-ups many times to look for Thomas in the house at the top of the hill,
but they insisted that he hadnt gone missing, he was just on vacation. And all the
stories of gutted cats and beheaded dogs kept coming, until summer ended.
Billy went to the first day of school with his face gaunt and pale from lack of
sleep, completely hopeless. He had spent the last few nights in a tree with his air
gun, on the lookout like a hunter waiting for a lion on the African savannah. He
crossed the schoolyard like a specter and went up the stairs slowly, feeling like he
was dragging heavy, invisible chains around him. Imagine his surprise when he went
into the classroom and found Thomas and his sister there, sitting together. Hi,
Billy. What did you do this summer? We went to the beach, said Thomas with a
big smile on his face. We went scuba diving and gathered starfish. The girl was
writing something on a notebook and didnt seem to be paying them any attention.
I thought that... , Billy mumbled, confused. But before he could finish his
sentence, the teacher came in and told them to sit down. Billy sat behind them.
He couldnt stop staring at his classmate, sure that something didnt add up. Its
been great! continued Thomas, half turning around. You should have seen her
jumping from a high rock into the water. Head first! She is crazy. His hand moved
slowly across the table and ended up on top of hers. I told you were going to love
me, Thomas. Said the girl turning around with a strange smile on her lips, one that
seemed to be aimed at Billy and not his brother. They both turned their attention
back to class.
Billy, sitting right behind them, didnt know if he should stay there like nothing
was happening, or just run away. His ears drummed and his head was burning. And
then he looked at the back of Thomass head and saw a dark spot. A stich! His
pulse stopped entirely, his breathing faltered, and he went completely still. And
in that exact moment, the girl turned around and, looking into his eyes, sad: Will 81
you come home with us later? Please?
theres

Much to

FEAR

C
hildren have the most from far-away places; some are
varied fears. There are more handed down in bedtime stories,
different flavors of terror parent to child; and some come
than there are children, from our collective unconscious,
since theres room for every kind but they are all atavistic things, fear
of monster in a childs head. Fear is whose origins are hard to pinpoint.
something personal, something we These monsters make up a kind of
feel and experience in the deepest monster manual, a list of terrors
part of our hearts, and even though children have inherited from their
we can spread our fear to those parents and must face.
around us, and share it with them,

The Monsters
most of the time fear is our own.
In this chapter we will give you
some guidelines and suggestions
to bring the personal terrors of
each child to life. Having said that, The Monster In The Closet
there are universal fears, terrors The cat came out of the closet and woke me
that get handed down generation up. It was a big, fat cat, and its mouth had
after generation. Some of them are at least a hundred teeth. I put my blanket
up to my eyes, hoping it wouldnt see me,

82
but it did. Since it was so fat, it made a lot clothes and toys, creaking just
of noise moving, and I heard it get closer a bit and moving; again, just a
and closer. I was scared, but I managed small bit, throwing a strange
to get my hands on my killercat hammer, light from withinand now you
which I always keep by my bed, and hit it. cant sleep anymore, because you
The cat got furious and jumped in top of know that if you do, the monster
me, and I had to run away from my bed. in the closet will come out and do
It clawed at me and tore my pajamas, but horrible things to you. Everyone
I hit it again. Good thing my mum came agrees on that. But the monster
into the room and the disgusting cat went in the closet has no shape, and
back into the closet and left me alone. I every child imagines it differently,
went to sleep with mum, but she told me: probably related to their personal
Only for tonight terror. So every time the monster
The monster in the closet is one and in the closet comes out, you can
many. Its one, because every child in make up a new form for it. If
the world knows it by that name, they the childs personal terror is
all know where it hides, and when it darkness, the monster can be a
comes out. Just when you have pulled silhouette of light that borders
your blanket up to your nose to sleep a darkness even deeper than
and only your eyes are out, you hear the night. If its bugs it could, no
the closet door, where you keep your doubt, be a very hairy, very disgusting

83
spider At the end of the day, silent. I looked through the fence and saw
the childs imagination, and his the door closing. The witch must have
personal terror, are what shapes taken him
this monster, which will always be Some people look like people, but
very, very strong, and very, very evil. arent. Can a person live in an old,
Traits: Patient, Strong. dirty, half-broken house full of
Powers: The monster in the closet cats? No, they are not people; they
can shapeshift as much as it wants, are witches, waiting for a child too
adapting to each childs personal courageous for his own good to get
terror. It should have the shape and close to their house, to catch him and
powers that hit each child the worst. do horrible things to him. When a lot
For example, to a child that fears of time goes by without a child getting
needles and sharp things it could close to her house, the witch uses her
appear as a humanoid shape powers to draw them in. She sends her
with a serrated tongue, full of cats to the children, and they follow
thorns, licking its own body and the little beasts to the doorstep. Or she
coating it with blood all the time. makes their kite fall into her garden
This tongue could be thrown like and the children have to go in to get it
a harpoon. back. Then she bars the gate with her
Weaknesses: It can only act in the magic and the children get scared at
short period when a child has closes the shadows inside the house. And the
his eyes, but is still not asleep. child that went to get the kite never
comes out to play again. The witch
Terror Points: 16
from the old house can be just in the
The Witch From The Old House childrens minds; children who love
to get into dirty, run-down, derelict
We were only playing! We stood near the places. There, any shadow can be a
fence so we could play in the shade. We witch in the childrens minds. But it can
had been at it for a while and he told me I also be a real person: a senile old man,
was too scared to ring the doorbell. I told a sick homeless person, a psychopath
him that that was the witchs house! He who lives in an old house, who, as we
laughed at me and call me chicken. I all know, can do terrible things. The
didnt want to play anymore; he was children will not see them as that old
just being mean to me and told me woman or homeless person, but as a
he was ringing the doorbell. He rang witch or warlock, with dark powers.
and all the lights in the house suddenly Traits: Mentally unsound, Physically
turned on. I fled and he kept laughing weak.
at me and calling me chickenI went
Powers: The witch from the old
round the corner and he suddenly went
house can use telekinesis; that is to

84
say she can move and throw things fantasize that there are people
without touching them, although living down there, free from any
she doesnt have much finesse. responsibility, living a different
She has long, filthy nails that do lifestyle. Lies. Everyone who tries
+1 damage. She can also speak to to live in there doesnt stay alive
animals, especially cats. for very long, because thats where
Weaknesses: The witch is old and the sewer monster lives. Its easy to
her bones feel it. She is very weak. imagine it as the evolution of a
dragon or a fire serpent. Its big,
Terror Points: 12
really huge, and has very small
The Sewer Monster legs, ridiculous for its size. But it
doesnt need them, because it can
I loved that effect in movies, you must slide along the ceiling without
have seen it. I always asked myself falling down, no matter how
where that smoke or steam or whatever slippery the wall is. And when
it was came from. I only saw it in it slides it leaves behind its
movies, never in the sewers from my horrible smell while hissing,
town. So when we went to Manchester its hot breath mistaken for
for Christmas on a school trip and sewer steam. Waiting for
they let us go out for a night, I thought another reckless person who
it funny to see the smoke coming out wants to escape to the sewers, or
of one of the sewer grates. I got closer, some mischievous child that
to see what it smelled like, and it was wants to play in them.
like getting slapped in the face. It was Traits: Cunning, Slippery.
disgusting. But, after that kind of
Powers: It sticks to walls, even wet
smell, who could resist taking a peek?
ones. Its teeth are sharp, and it has
I knelt down and tried to get my head
lots of them. Its mouth opens just
in, but it was too narrow. I could see
like a snakes and can swallow an
nothing clearly, but I thought there was
adult whole.
something in there. And then I put my
arm in. I cant remember anything else, Weaknesses: It cant go outside the
the pain made me faint, and now I sewers and its smell easily betrays
only have one hand. I can only tell you its presence. No adult would
I dont like the smoke from the sewers ever come close to the sewers
anymore. with that smell. A child, on the
other hand
Everyone fantasizes about the sewer
dwellers, about subway tunnels Terror Points: 10
closed to the public, or mysterious
catacomb under old churches. They

85
The Sandman have to succeed in a simple action
against a Mental Age of 13.
Everyone said he was a sleepyhead,
Weaknesses: He has no power over
but he told us he had seen the pale
those who sleep well. He will always try
man with black hair and he had thrown
to protect his sand bag, for his power.
magic sand on him. He saw him every
day, and every day he threw more sand Terror Points: 14
at him and he was sleepier and sleepier.
We believed him, he never lies, and so The Sack Man
one day we all got together and waited, Mom told me I had to tidy my room. She
waited for the man to come. He looked at told me if I didnt, the Sack Man would
us and didnt seem surprised. We threw an come for me. I told her he wasnt going
army of snakes at him and I attacked to, and didnt listen to her. But now Im
him on my flying trunk, but to no scared, because mom never lies. She left me
avail. Josh is still very sleepy. alone, and I was more and more scared. I
The Sandman is very tall, thin started picking my toys up. I didnt want
and pale. It looks like he is sick, the Sack Man to get me. I saw him coming
and his face is always grumpy. while I was picking up a puzzle, but I threw
He is always accompanied by the cannonballs at him and he ran away.
a curious, pleasing melody, but Mom scolded me later for breaking the
he isnt humming. The melody just window with the cannonballs.
hangs around him, distracting You mustnt be naughty or the Sack
people who see him coming. He gets Man will come for you one night,
close to a child with his bag full of and hell kidnap you to no one knows
sand and throws a handful at him. where. All that we know is that no
This is what happens to children who child has ever come back. Some say
want to stay up late, if the Boogeyman he takes their organs to sell them
doesnt get them first The sleep he and heal other children, some say he
induces is sweet, but it lasts longer buries the kids alive, and some say that
and longer each day, and one day, the its even worse. Now be nice, turn off
child doesnt wake anymore. He is the game console and go to bed, or the
too sleepy. His last chance is for his Sack Man will come for you.
friends to steal the sand bag and When a child is naughty, the Sack
throw it away, waking every child Man comes in the night and takes
under his spell. him away. He doesnt seem to have
Traits: Grumpy, Thin. a clear pattern: some kids are taken
Powers: The melody around the away for stealing candy, while others
Sandman is hypnotic, making children never get a visit from him, even if
unable to react. To be able to act you they do much worse things. The only
thing thats clear is that he only comes

86
for those who behave badly in the also disappear without a trace
eyes of the adults. He never comes after leaving a house, open any
for those kids who hit you in school lock, and go through any opening,
or anything like that, but he does visit even those even a child almost cant
the ones who have bad grades or lie. go through.
The Sack Man wears a coat and Weaknesses: He can only take away
shadows always hide his face, naughty kids, although his definition
although sometimes you can see of naughty is pretty general.
his evil smile or his blood-shot eyes. Terror Points: 18
His voice is mellow and unsettling,
scolding the child for his bad
behavior and mumbling that hell
The Boogeyman
My brother is called Jimmy and never
soon get what he deserves. Of course,
sleeps. He cries and screams until he gets to
he carries an old sack that smells of
go to mommy and daddys bed. Yesterday
sweat and blood, which no one has
mommy told him no, and sang another
ever escaped.
of those songs about the boogeyman.
Traits: Strong, Evil. The scary ones. She then left and Jimmy
Powers: He always knows who has kept crying. I fell asleep; his screams
been naughty and what they have dont bother me. Then mommy came
done. He can put any child in his back and screamed even more because
sack no matter how big you are, Jimmy was gone. The boogeyman ate
whispering maliciously in your ear him.
and leaving you paralyzed. He can

87
The boogeyman is so instilled from the pillow screaming. He leaped onto
in our subconscious that me and started hurting me. He wasnt
children dont need stories fluffy anymore; his fur scraped me and his
or explanations to believe he nails cut my skin. Even though the doctor
exists. Nursery rhymes and songs said it had been my baby brother, I dont
warn about him even before care. Its was Dummy, my teddy bear. He
children understand the words. went mad.
The boogeyman is shapeless They are good companions and
or, rather, can have as many allies to children. They sleep together
different shapes as he wants and and tell each other everything. A lot
the children expect: a man with of times, teddy bears protect children
a long coat, a beast with sharp from the darkness; having someone
teeth, some strange shape full of to hug helps a lot. But sometimes,
mouths about to eat you. Most for no apparent reason, the friendly,
of the time its a big humanoid tender bears transform into infernal
figure, with a big mouth full things that attack their playmates,
of teeth. No one who is asleep follow them without rest when they
will ever hear anything he does flee, claws and teeth prepared to bite,
and will only be awakened by their eyes shining. They dont want
the screams of his victims. anything in particular; they are tired
Traits: Dreadful, Huge mouth. of being used as pillows and want
Powers: The boogeyman always something more than hugging the
knows whos asleep and who isnt. child. They want to feel the childs
He can eat anyone he wants, no tenderness in the most literal sense;
matter his size, thanks to his huge to bite and claw at his body and make
mouth. He can also hide in shadows him cry. They prefer to do it when
and appear from them suddenly. they are alone, because they know
Weaknesses: He cant interact or harm the child will be startled. If there
those who are sleeping. were more children around, they
might not be so kind with a teddy
Terror Points: 20
bear that wasnt theirs.
The Teddy Bear Traits: Slow, Not very smart.
Powers: When they transform, their
I was always his friendwhy did
fluffiness turns into claws and teeth
he do this to me? We always sleep
which can be very dangerous, their
together; he is so warm and makes
hair turns rough and dark, and their
the cold sheets better. I was putting my
eyes become bloodshot.
pajamas on, telling him what I had done
in school today and then I saw him jump Weaknesses: None.
Terror Points: 8

88
The Darkness
My friend and I went to the old factory
to break stuff. We brought a flashlight
because it was so dark in there. But he
started goofing around and turned it off.
The door closed, and since that room had
no windows, not even starlight came
through. I couldnt see the monster, but I
could it feel it closing in and we were so
scared we couldnt turn on the flashlight.
We ran but could see nothing, and we fell
down. He dropped the flashlight and I
found it by chance. I turned it on and
when I pointed it at him I saw him
fall down and a very dark, very
big shadow leaving. I couldnt see
anything else.
Darkness is one of the more
common fears. What child isnt
afraid of the dark? What adult isnt
at least uncomfortable when he
cant see anything? You feel weak
and vulnerable, insecure; you cant
see what is lurking around you. And
something is. The Darkness attacks
children. It always attacks without
being seen and avoids light at all
costs. Sometimes the monster can be
seen because it is even darker than
the darkness around it. Its a pitch-
black shadow that hits hard and
cant be seen. A big round thing
with arms and legs that moves
fast, as if flying.
Traits: Fast, Smart.
Powers: It can make small
accidents happen so the lights go
out. For example, if you are carrying

89
a flashlight, it can move a small
rock so you trip and fall down.
If you light a match, it blows it
out. It cant affect big lights, like
a bonfire. The Darkness can fly, but
it gets tired easily so it cant do it
for a long time. Its almost invisible,
for it really is darker than normal
darkness. It cant stand light, no
matter how small.
Terror Points: 16

The Mad Janitor


A few years ago kids started to go The stair steps shrieked like a lamb in a
missing in this boarding school. Not slaughterhouse, and the door waited for
many at first. So few that people them at the top. They unlocked it with a
thought they had just run away. But skeleton key they had stolen, and after
it soon started to be strange. Police pushing hard, the door budged open. The
came and talked with everyone, but light switch didnt work, although they
found nothing. The children suspected the tried several times. Still, they went into the
new janitor; he was very nice to adults storage room and their small light swept
and always had a kind word for every the place.
child if there was anyone else there. But The kids exhaled, relieved that there
when he was alone with you, he looked were only tools there for carpentry and
at you strangely, like he was examining upholstery. There was an armchair
an object and not a person. At night you with a bed sheet over it. That explained
could hear strange noises; it sounded everything; the janitor was working on
like someone was working in the storage the armchair at night. But when they
room, although no one should be there. took the sheet off, they saw it was made
Some kids said they had seen the janitor from the skin of the missing children!
come out of the room in the middle of The kids ran away and some even said
the night every time a kid disappeared. they saw the faces in the armchair
One night, the kids decided to go up moving, calling for help.
to the storage room when he left. They No one believed them, of course, until
went slowly up the stairs, lighting one by one, they disappeared. The janitor
their way with an old flashlight. died a few years ago, and no one has gone
missing since then. But no child has ever
gone to the storage room again.

90
You cant trust anything, and even less Children fear the dark.
so anyone. Those kind people with They feel much safer in bright,
smiles on their faces, who pat your illuminated places with lots of
head and give you candy, while your light, places where they can
mama smiles and tells them what see everything and be aware of
a rascal you can be sometimes everything. Poor fools. They think
Behind that smile they are thinking they will escape the horror this way,
that if your mother says so, you must and that isnt true. The Shadow
be one. You are a bad kid, and you exists. A monster as fast as you, as
deserve some punishment. And they tall as you, always glued to you.
know just the thing And no matter how fast you run,
Traits: Strong, Kind. you will never lose it.
Powers: He can skin children and Any place there is a strong light,
upholster furniture with their it can come to life. It cant be a
skin, the kids stay alive even if small light; it needs a continuous
they are only skin anymore. He bright light to keep going. And
has all the keys and knows every the brighter the light, the bigger
nook and cranny of the boarding the contrast between light and
school. shadow, the stronger it becomes.
Weaknesses: None. In a small, barely lit room, the
shadow wont be able to attack us.
Terror Points: 10
But on a sunny day, while we are

The Shadow alone in the garden, we may see our


shadow moving, but not following
I was eating my strawberry ice cream, our movements, getting up and
because it was so hot. It was dripping in then lots of tentacles will come up
my hands, and a drop fell on my shoe. I and start whipping us, cutting our
squatted to clean it, because mom gets skin, and leaving a poison trail that
very mad when I come back home dirty. looks like a sunburn. The worst thing
When I got up again, I realized my shadow is you cant fight it, you can only run
wasnt normal. It didnt look like me. And and hide from the light under a roof
it wasnt like those times when its all or turning down the light
slim and long. This time it was fat and Traits: Sadistic, Intangible.
had lots of arms. And it suddenly got up
Powers: The Shadow is immaterial,
from the floor and started to punch me. It
being just a modification of the
hurt so much. I ran away screaming, but
childs shadow. Its tentacles have
it followed me closely and kept on hitting
small hooks that scratch the skin
me. It burned my face. I reached the stall
and give off acid that leaves small
and it stopped, I dont know why.

91
burns behind. More than real
harm, they just hurt a lot and
leave ugly marks on the skin.
Weaknesses: It needs light, the
more the better.
Terror Points: 11

The Haunted House


Do you know the old abandoned
house at the end of the lane? Yeah, the
one painted pale blue. Dont you know
what happened there? I hear my
parents tell the story once and I know
why no one wants to buy it. Some
years ago the house was empty
and a family decided to buy it. A
normal family; married, two kids,
the smallest one your age.
They were nice at first: they threw
barbecues, invited neighbors for dinner,
that kind of stuff. But slowly they
started to stay in more and more,
not talking to anyone. Neighbors
complained about the noise and smells
that came from the house. One day, tired
of it, they called the police. When they
went in, they discovered the family had
accumulated trash and dead animals
throughout the house. But that wasnt
the worst. They found their bodies in the
attic. The mother and children had
been tortured and the father had
killed himself. They had been dead
for weeks. Some say that happened to
the family that lived there before too,
and the one before that

92
The abandoned house is abandoned
for a reason. Its strange that no one
Worms
wants such a beautiful house, but no I got out of the bath and went to
one has wanted to buy it in a long time. the living room to watch TV. After
The truth is that the house itself isnt a while my mom caught me and told
evil, but the spirits of a lot of its past me I hadnt cleaned my room, turned
inhabitants reside in it. Some of them off the TV, and told me to go tidy my
are evil and try to attract kids that get clothes. I got into my room and it
close, some try to warn the children smelled really bad, I almost threw
to flee from the monster: the evil that up. I looked towards my bed and
lives in the attic. You want to know there was a huge worm in there,
what that evil is? Want to know how which spit at me. The worm started
to beat it? No one knows, because no to get off the bed and I threw my
one has entered the house in so long. sneakers at it, but it still closed
But maybe a few curious children will in, so I ran. But the spit tangled
conquer their fear and manage to find my legs and I fell. I saw it going
the old pictures and the diary of the out the door and I fell down the
first owner of the house. Maybe that stairs.
will help. Those pictures and the diary Worms, usually giant worms,
show that the owner had to endure can be made out of anything.
some inhuman pain, a terrible pain They are a product of the childs
that didnt let him rest while alive, and imagination and can come
that doesnt allow him to find peace from a bundle of clothes, some
in death, so he can stop haunting the branches in a tree, or something
house he really, really, just wants to that looks like a bush. They are fat,
leave behind. slimy and, a lot of the time, hairy.
Traits: Chaotic, Immaterial. They have big strangely-colored
eyes, and they are slower the bigger
Powers: The first owner can appear
they are, leaving behind a trail of
from thin air, close doors and throw
mucous that smells horribly bad.
objects of any kind, make noises, make
Their mouth is incredibly large
the walls bleed, and talk to the children
and they can swallow a baby
so they go crazy and kill themselves or
whole, although they can bite
their friends. Everything you can think
if they want to, since that
about a haunted house goes on here.
mouth has lots of ugly teeth.
Weaknesses: If the kids find his Since its so slow, it normally
remains in a chest in the attic and uses its secret weapon in order
gets them out of the house, he will to catch its prey, a kind of spit or
lose all his powers.
Terror Points: 12

93
slime that they can throw out
of their eyes. If it hits you, the
The Kid In The Mirror
worms wont be in any kind One day I was combing my hair. Its
of hurry. really hard for me, but pa has told me I
have to learn, just like a big boy. I was
Traits: Dumb, Slow.
at it for a while, and then I realized I
Powers: The slime they throw out wasnt seeing my room in the mirror.
of their eyes is a kind of glue, It was similar, but it wasnt the same,
and can be thrown quite far. and neither was the me in the mirror.
If it falls on a child, it starts to His hair wasnt combed, and his nose
dry and the child will be able to was snotty. But he was imitating me,
move less and less. If he has been and his raspy hair made a very strange
spit on a few times, the kid can metallic sound against his comb. I
find himself paralyzed. stopped and so did he. I looked at him
Weaknesses: They are very for a while and suddenly his hand shot
squishy and pointy objects out of the mirror, black nails and full of
hurt them a lot, making the warts, messed my hair and held me by
wound well up with slimy the throat. He pulled my head through
liquid. the mirror and I saw a very dirty room,
Terror Points: 8 one that looked like my bathroom, but

94
full of strange critters. My head was can come partially out of the
hurting from the lack of breath, so I mirror to pull the child in.
turned my comb into a magic knife Once the portal is closed,
and cut the kids finger, and he didnt it can only be crossed again
scream. But I could get my head out toward the real world, so adults
of the mirror and saw the finger in the wont be able to find the child.
sink, but I threw it out of the window. Weaknesses: If the mirror he pulled
Things happen on the other side of the kid through is broken, the
the mirror, everyone knows that. portal will open again and every
But almost no one dares to enter to child will be able to escape.
see exactly what. And its better that Terror Points: 10
we dont, because nothing good
happens in there. The other side of
the mirror is an alternate reality,
The Double
A while ago I came to see me. Yes,
where everything is similar, but
I came to my room to see me. I
different in a horrible way. Houses
was sitting on the bed, thinking,
are the same, and so are people,
like my parents had told me to,
but they all have a twist that turns
and I came in. It was just like me,
them unsettling and bad. And that
I couldnt distinguish between him
applies to you too, your kid from
and me, and for a while I doubted
the other side. Its like you, but you
who he was, and who I was. He told
dont like watching him because
me it had been him, he had set the
he is disgusting. And he is also evil.
neighbors cat on fire. He knew I had
No, not just naughty; really evil. He
gone to a friends to read comics and
will take advantage of any moment
couldnt tell my parents that. I had no
you have your guard down to pull
alibi, everyone saw me tie up the cat
you into the mirror, and then will
and burn itand now they thought
try to block the exit so you have to
I was crazy because of the TV and
stay there and he can torture you.
videogames, and they were going to
Traits: Those of the child, but take them all away. As he talked to me
distorted. If the kid is cunning and I started to get scared; scared and
fat, the kid in the mirror will be angry, because I hadnt done that,
positively Machiavellian, full of and I was going to get punished
evil thought, and his obesity will because of him. Because of me. I
be almost a deformity, with strange tried to hit him and when I did, the
clumps of fat throughout his body. punch hurt me, and he laughed. I
Powers: He can open a portal hit him more and now I have bruises
between our world and his in all around my body. Please, doctor,
any mirror big enough. And he

95
tell my parents I didnt do anything
to the cat. I dont want to have to
The Killer Clown
fight myself again. I had lots of fun at my birthday party.
A lot of friends came and I got a lot of
The Double is an identical
presents. They really liked my princess
copy of the child, who talks the
costume and I ate all the candy in
same, moves the same, and acts
the magic wand. The clown was very
almost the same. We say almost,
funny, we all laughed when his flower
because the double will never
spit water. I had to take my costume off
do anything nice for the child,
for bed, because mommy wouldnt let
or for anyone. The double is evil
me use it as pajamas. I closed my eyes
and will do everything he can
and heard little laughs all around. I
so hell get caught doing horrible
got a little scared, and I could hear
things, so the child gets
the laughs get closer and closer, and
punished later. He finds that
I saw swirling colors in the mirror.
really funny. He then visits
I closed my eyes tightly and heard a
the child and mocks him,
voice whispering in my ear, telling me
making him hit himself.
I had laughed a lot today, and that it
The double has no special
was now time to cry. And then I saw a
powers, he just uses the lies
red nose close to my eyes.
the child tells to do bad things
the child wont be able to deny, Clowns are funny, but their
and then he goes back into the outlandish costumes and colors
room and mocks the child again unsettle some people. And terrify
and so he hurts himself. some children. That red nose and
long, strangely-colored curly
Traits: Those of the child, turned evil.
hair arent normal. And dont get
Powers: He can tell when the child me started on their huge shoes.
is doing something wrong so he Killer Clowns can visit a child
wont tell his parents. He can any time, but they prefer to do so
appear and disappear instantly. after theyve gone to the circus
If his child attacks him, the or to a birthday party, when
damage will go to the child. they have been laughing with a
Weaknesses: Its still a child, normal clown. They then visit
and he still suffers any damage the child to take back some of the
other children do to him. joy they have given him, making
Terror Points: 10 him cry, hurting him. But they
always keep a big smile on their
faces, and an unsettling, high-
pitched laugh.

96
Traits: Mocking, Fat.
Powers: They can fall down,
Vampires
James says its vampires. He
bounce around, stretch, and do all
says thats why Susan is getting
kind of cartoony things without
paler and paler every day and
suffering any damage; they are
hasnt come out to play with us in
very adaptable physically. A lot of
a month, she is so tired. He says
the stuff they carry, apparently
vampires look for girls to bite and
harmless, turns very dangerous
suck their blood; he saw it in one
if they want it to. A trick flower,
of his fathers movies, when he
usually spitting water, now spits
was home alone. But James is a liar
fire, and instead of taking a dove
and I dont believe him. Susan will
out of their hat, they can make
get better soon, the bags under her
some ugly bird come out to harm
eyes will go away and she will be
the child.
as pretty as ever.
Weaknesses: They cant stand
Vampires dont need
childrens laughs. If a child laughs
introduction. The undead, the
near him, they suffer damage and
night hunters, searching for
try to escape.
blood to survive. They sleep all
Terror Points: 12 day on their coffins and at night

97
anyone can be their victim. Most
of all a child, innocent and easy
The Lord of Spiders
to trick into following them. We had to run to get the ball that fell into
Once alone, sinking their fangs the river. When we got to it, we saw a bush
in their soft, tender necks is so easy, moving. We thought it was a rabbit, so we
sucking their blood, so refreshing went to check it out. The bush was covering
but being careful. They wont kill a a hole full of cobwebs. Im very scared of
child too quickly; its better that he spiders, but Pete said he isnt. So we went
lives for a few days, so the Vampire in, I didnt want to stay alone outside. The
can feed on him for longer. hole was deep and you couldnt see a thing.
I felt cold and cobwebs got tangled in our
Kids know lots of things about
faces and clothes. It was getting more and
vampires, but what they dont
more difficult to move, and I decided to
know is whats true and what a lie.
head back. Pete didnt listen to me, and
Theres too much information
kept going forward; suddenly he called
on books and movies and TV.
me. He couldnt move, and spiders were
The Master can decide what
biting him. But I was too scared. I didnt
his vampires look like and
go back to help him. And I told everyone
what powers they have.
he had fallen into the river while trying to
Traits: Attractive, Strong. get the ball back.
Powers: There are many options, Have you ever wondered why
and we all know them thanks to all abandoned places are full of
pop culture: Invisibility, becoming cobwebs? Adults say spiders make
a sort of hazy mist, shapeshifting
into a bat or a wolf, talking to wolves,
hypnosis, influencing people and,
of course, great personal charisma.
Weaknesses: Some are true, some are
false. Its the Masters job to decide
which ones apply. Some say they cant
stand garlic, or religious symbols,
or cant go across running water.
They also say they cant come
into a house uninvited. They
definitely cant stand sunlight;
it burns them away in seconds.
Staking their heart also works. Or
maybe it doesnt.
Terror Points: 10

98
The Lord of spiders can feel where
you are if you touch any web, and
can talk to spiders, so no one can
escape from him on his turf. Youll
fall in some trap made from his
webs, strong as rope, and he will
bury you in a cocoon until he is
hungry and comes back to eat you.
Thats why there are always bones
in abandoned places.
Traits: Patient, Sticky.
Powers: He can talk to spiders and
give them simple orders. Whenever
he hides he sets up a network of
webs and can feel movement on
any of them. His webs are strong
and hard as ropes.
Weaknesses: Fire gets rid of
them, but everyone can see they cobwebs really fast. Some say bug
are too small to do all that by spray works against him.
themselves.
Terror Points: 11
The Lord of Spiders inhabits
cellars and basements and
everywhere you can find cobwebs,
because he is the one that makes
them, even if spiders tend to them
and fix them later. Sometimes,
a small animal or a child enters
such places and never comes out.
The Lord of Spiders eats them to
keep producing webbing. If you
ever see him, youll recognize him
because he wears a long coat and
a hat, even if its summer. Theres
nothing under the clothes, just a
bunch of plastered webs and some
spiders that fix him when he gets
hurt.

99
The Nightmare Since its a nightmare and only
attacks in dreams, all the damage
We were all together, boys and girls, the children suffer will come out
I didnt know where. They were of blue (mental) knuckles. When
already there when I arrived. It was a child loses all of them, he will
a strange place, similar to where we wake up screaming, crying and
sometimes go to throw rocks, but very sweaty. If the children manage to
dark, with red and black clouds. When defeat the nightmare, they will all
I got close I saw the dog we had thrown wake up at the same time, upset,
stones at that morning coming. But it like you would awake from a bad
wasnt the same, it was bigger, with no dream.
tail and two heads, one on each side. He
Traits: Ugly, Tenacious.
moved sideways, like he was dancing,
but very, very fast. We threw stones Powers: Its main ability is its power
at him, and had to climb up a tree to summon all the children in the
so he didnt catch us, but the tree same dream. It can only do this to
was sticky and the dog jumped a one group of children each night,
lot. It bit me in a foot and we all for each bad deed they have done.
screamed a lot. Weaknesses: It cant affect those
Sometimes kids do bad things. awake in any way.
Much more commonly if they Terror Points: 12
get together with other kids;
they can then be very bad. And The Chunk Dog
sometimes when they are mean They say a long time ago a kid that didnt
to someone or something, that get along with anyone who lived in the
something comes back at night, neighborhood; they all laughed at him
puts them all together in a dream because he was a nerd and had no friends,
and makes them have a horrible except his dog Rocky, a fox terrier.
time. The Nightmare is really a But a few teenage boys decided to prank
bad dream that gathers a few kids him, and they waited for him in the park,
that have done something bad at the time he usually took Rocky out for a
together, to punish them all. Its walk. When he arrived, they started circling
shape depends on what theyve around them with their motorbikes, and
done. If they have played a the kid started to cry and the dog got really
prank on an old man, the nervous and barking all around, until his
nightmare will take the form of owner dropped his leash and the dog ran.
an ancient, hunched man with Unluckily, they ran it over with one of the
sores on his face. Every detail that bikes. His parents found the kid hours
makes it more scary will be used. later, still hugging the dead dog.

100
Even though they said they would get owners bed. His parents had seen
Rocky to the vet, they just threw the dead the dog sleep with the child and had
dog in the trash. But the kid saw it the smiled. This time they could only scream
next day while he was walking and when they saw Rocky sleeping on top of
decided to bring it back to life. He took its what had been his dinner last night.
guts out and left the corpse in the freezer. They say the chunk dog roams the
He looked for dead dogs to get the parts neighborhood searching for kids his
he needed; he even killed a few himself. owners age.
He soon managed to stuff the dog, and Some think the chunk dog is a
glued or stitched the thing together. product of a kids love for his
But he shouldnt have used part of a dead dog; some say is a product
Dobermans brain, because Rocky went of the Seamstress of Monsters.
mad and went out to kill the boys that Anyway, playing with life and
had run him over. He killed one each night death is really dangerous. It may
but the kid didnt want to say anything have been done with the best of
because he didnt want to lose his dog intentions, or it may have been
again. He thought that maybe when he done in pursuit of power or a
got his revenge hed go back to being nice, new slave, but consequences
playing dead and rolling around. are usually fatal. When you
The first night after he had killed all the combine parts of different bodies
boys, Rocky did something he hadnt and give them the breath of life,
done since he came back: he slept in his you dont completely control the

101
process, and the result can be
a chaotic abomination. Same
The Scrap
with dogs and cats, and even The girls didnt come, they say they
aberrations made by mixing dont like breaking stuff, but Timmy
different animals. The resulting and I love going there. Its full of cars
chunk animal is absolutely cruel, and engines, and you can throw rocks
almost impervious to pain, and at the car windows and climb the
wont stop until it accomplishes mountains of rubble and get into a big
its goal: kill, destroy, and eat. car and drive it. The horn works in some
of them and they make a lot of noise.
Traits: Cruel, Made of parts.
But Im not going anymore, because
Powers: Generally it has the the last time we saw an engine moving
abilities of the animal its and a lot of parts started moving too,
made from. A chunk dog, for getting bolted and fixed to the engine.
example, will bite and claw When it moved, it shot out bolts and
savagely. Given enough time nuts. This one hit me on the head and I
it can get through a wooden have it stashed like a treasure. We were
door. It can take physical lucky it didnt have wheels and was
pain like a big dog, jump very really slow moving, because that gave
high and some other dog tricks, Timmy and me the chance to run away
like opening doors, burying dead before it rolled over us.
children, etc. It has a dogs sense
Parents warn children about
of smell and hearing too. It is left
certain places you cant go to play.
up to the Master what powers
Of course, they say those things
or abilities a chunk animal made
because in a dump you get dirty
from other creature, or a mix of
and can hurt yourself. If you are
them, could have.
unlucky, you can trip coming down
Weaknesses: They are completely the rubbish mountains and really
fixated on their goal, and every injure yourself. What they dont
scrap of intelligence they had remember is that when they were
while alive is almost gone. They young and went to the dump, they
act on instinct. Cruel instinct. sometimes had to run away because
Terror Points: 8 they saw a mass of scrap and junk,
made from many different parts,
moving and shooting metal bits. The
Scrap gets formed in car scrapyards,
dumpsters, or any place metal parts
get thrown out and accumulate.
These pieces move towards each

102
other when the Scrap moves and get some ice and heard a loud noise,
get organized every which way. and when he looked up, he saw a lot of
But after a while, the Scrap will forks and knives stuck on the fridge
reorganize its parts while moving, door. They all ran out of the house and
for example if it has wheels, they never played Ouija again.
will eventually find their way to Kids grow up and start losing their
their normal position and the Scrap fears. They think themselves brave
will move faster. It spits and throws and start to play dangerous
metal bits continuously: nuts, bolts, games where you call on spirits
or other things. It starts throwing and ask them questions. It starts
them at random at first, but if it innocently, asking the spirit if
finds a target, it will aim for him. It a girl likes you or not, and at
can also attack by running people most can scare some of the kids
over. when the rest play a prank
Traits: Chaotic, Heavy. on them. But spirits really
Powers: The scrap never runs out come sometimes, and some
of bits to throw, no matter how get angry if you call on them
long its been throwing them, for those kinds of questions.
there always something left. It can Most of them they give a
also put itself back together slowly warning, but some people have
if its pieces fall apart after a big faced real danger; some have even
fall or a strong blow. died because they didnt realize
Weaknesses: None. how dangerous the situation
was. Sometimes the spirit has
Terror Points: 10
stayed in the home, moving chairs,
The Ouija Board Spirit making noises, turning lights on
and off, or whispering strange
Playing Ouija is extremely dangerous; its messages. So now lets be smart
not a childs game at all. A friend of mine about it, all of you take the marker
played a lot and laughed about the whole and empty your mind
thing. One day, the marker moved and he Traits: Mentally variable,
thought his friends were playing the same Immaterial.
joke he usually played on them. It started
Powers: Move stuff around,
moving faster and faster and threatening
make noises, use light switches,
them. My friend got tired of the joke and let
open doors, and write messages
go of the marker without saying farewell
in blood on the walls. The
to the spirit first. Laughing, but more
most powerful among them can
scared than he wanted to admit, he went
make people hallucinate, throw
to get a soda from the fridge. He knelt to
lightning, and start fires.

103
Weaknesses: Exorcisms by
priests; some can be hurt
by holy water, crosses or
prayers. Some spirits will
disappear if you do something
for them, like burying their
remains in holy ground, give
back something that was
stolen, or abandon the house.
Terror Points: 4 to 16

The Seamstress
of Monsters
That house isnt normal, the
Seamstress lives there. You see
her? In the window? She is always
stitching and sewing, like now.
Some say she isnt really evil, shes just
an old bored lady, and thats why she
spends her days sewing. I dont believe
that. If she spent her days knitting
sweaters or sewing curtainsmaybe
thats how she started, and since she
didnt go out much she ran out of thread,
cloth and fabric, and then she just took
whatever was around Maybe that
dog just died of old age.
You must have heard of the chunk dog.
Those who saw it the first couple nights
say one of his eyes was that of a dog,
the other one a cats, that his fur was
at least four different colors, held
together with large stiches of rat-gut
thread. They said one of his claws was
huge, covered in green scaled skin. Of
course, that was just the beginning.
You still want to jump the fence? Id give
up on that ball.

104
More than just a witch, the do any of that, and there will
Seamstress of Monsters, or the always be a rational explanation
Mother of Monsters in other for anything they do, for those
cultures, is always an old, decrepit not innocent enough to interact
woman with great magic powers. with them.
She can breathe life into inanimate A monster has a single score that it
things, usually fashioning them first uses for any action, be it physical,
out of disgusting things: remains of mental or imaginary: Terror.
dead things, worms, bugs, rats, etc. This score reflects how scary
Traditionally she also has the power the monster is. Monsters feed on
to shapeshift into a young woman, the fear they produce, and their
or even a girl. Terror goes up if they succeed
Traits: Silent, Cunning. in hurting or gravely injuring
Powers: She can created monsters children, thus increasing the
out of unpleasant things. She can fear they feel. A small, weak
change shape into a child or a young monster, born from the
woman, and she can read minds. imagination of a single child,
Weaknesses: Her own creations hate has a Terror score between
her and can turn on her. 1 and 3. A not-so-dangerous
monster feared by a few kids on
Terror Points: 12
the block or school has a Terror
score of 3 to 7. A monster known

Making your by a lot of children in one country,


between 8 to 15. One that is part

own Monsters
of pop culture and nursery rhymes,
known everywhere in the world,
like the Boogeyman or the Monster
in the Closet, can have a Terror
Hiding under the bed, lying in wait score of over 16.
inside the closet, or ready to escape
Unlike the other characters,
the TV screen, monsters feed on
monsters dont have permanent
Innocence, which ironically is the
scores; instead, their Terror
only thing that can destroy them.
varies all the time, changing as
Theres an important point here:
they perform actions. Thus, a
monsters are real insomuch as they
monster with a Terror score of
can act on the real world, hurt,
14 that spends 4 knuckles in
destroy, do evil, think, hope, be afraid
order to make an action an 18
or furious or hateful. But monsters
will be left with a terror score of
arent real, because they have to be
10, and would have to use 8 more
believed in for them to be able to

105
knuckles to make another action
with a value of 18, leaving it with
Some Good Monsters
just a score of 2. The correct And Other Imaginary Beings
strategy for a monster is to start Not all beings children imagine are
off with a high Terror score and try evil and terrible. Some are kind and
not to spend too many knuckles on nice and are willing to help them.
its actions. They are less frequent and weaker
A monster can have a Physical Trait than their evil counterparts: its
and a Mental Trait, but they give a easier to feed on fear than on
+2 or -2, instead of +1 or -1 like positive emotions.
the childrens. Typical traits for a A fantastic being, like an imaginary
monster are: dumb, smart, cunning, friend or a good fairy, is created
aloof, strong, weak, fast, slow. like any other monster, but instead
Monsters also have Powers. Any of a Terror score they have a
monster can have between 1 Fantasy score which defines what it
and 4 powers, but they also can and cant do. It works exactly
will get any power a child the same as a monsters Terror,
thinks it has. So if a child thinks with the exception that a child can
a monster can see through walls, make it stronger by feeding it its
then the monster will be able to do own imagination (white knuckles)
so from now on. Monsters powers . Every point of imagination a
can be for attacking (claws, teeth, child spends raises the creatures
sharp tongues, breathing flames, Fantasy score by 2.
spit acid, etc.) which provide +2 A fantastic being doesnt get
to the monster that uses them, or powers like a monster; it has
they can give them the ability to powers as soon as a child thinks
do something the usually couldnt it does. A child has to imagine
(turn invisible, walk on walls, them, spending a white knuckle in
change size, etc.) using its Terror exchange for the being having the
score for any action involving it (for
new power.
example, trying not to get spotted
by some magical glasses when
it is invisible). Monsters dont
have advantages, disadvantages,
hobbies or any other game
attributes.

106
Tales That The Intruder
A child lives an easy life.

Scared Me
His parents play with him,
indulge his every whim, and
allow him to play and misbehave.
The Circus In The Forest But sometimes a small, horrible
creature gets into his life and
Children get lost in the forest. But not everything goes dark and sad.
every forest is cold, dark and silent. The thing makes mama and papa
People say that sometimes the lost forget about the child. Its noisy
children find a place of laughter and and smells bad. It screams all night
joy, and get invited to a mysterious and doesnt let him sleep.
circus, where cotton candy never
Mama and papa dont believe
runs out and clowns make you laugh
him when he tells them
until your belly hurts.
theres a monster that
But when the lights go out and the torments him and threaten
cotton candy machines stop you can him with grounding him if
hear the cries of the children that he doesnt behave. The little
came before to this accursed place. thing whispers every night in
Some say that if you find the heart the parents ears, telling them
of the circus before dawn, youll to abandon the child, to forget
be able to escape with the first ray about him. It influences them
of light. Maybe Zora, the fortune- while they sleep so they dont love
teller in the green wagon, knows him anymore and scold him for
how you can leave. Or maybe, if every little thing he says and does.
you go through the freak show, Other children have seen things
some tortured soul will guide you like those and talk about them
through this infernal place. in school: they call them the
But beware, because this place feeds Intruders and say they destroy
on you and wont let you leave. happiness. Maybe the children
Maybe the ringmaster will catch you will be able to investigate how
with his long whip, or some jealous to destroy the little monster,
specter wants you to face the same take it far from mama and
fate he did. Remember that, at night, papa so it cant influence
wild beasts roam free and want to them, or summon a kind being
savage small, meddling kids that want to take the little demon away.
to leave. In any case, dont waste your
time, because when dawn comes
youll never be able to leave.

107
But be careful, if mama and papa We must find it. Maybe we should
find out, theyll leave from him talk with the old man who lives
and hell be sad and lonely they up in the mountains, the one with
mustnt find out. the strange telescopes. Maybe if
we manage to get proof that the
The Light That thing exists, like a picture with

Fell Out Of The Sky


grandads old camera, he will help
us. But if things get worse, we,
One night a light fell out of the the children, must go to the forest
sky, a bright green light that and finish that thing. Adults dont
crashed in the trees, deep in the believe us and we cant wait any
forest. Since then, strange things longer, otherwise we know it will
have happened all around; eat us all.
small thefts, pieces of engines
or appliances going missing all
around the neighborhood.
If They Only Knew..
Sometimes adults like to scare children
A while after that, pets started with terrible stories. Sometimes they
to go missing; the neighbors even like to make them cry. What
dog, Mrs. Brisbanes pet would happen if a child realized they
canaries, and I havent seen a cat can make the horrible things adults
in the street in months. want to scare him with real?
But things got really scary when They say a group of kids learned
the twins from the house next how to scare adults. When they
door disappeared a few weeks believed something hard enough,
ago. Then it was Ricks turn, the something bad, sooner or later
redhead from the house at the end that thing happened to the person
of the lane. they wanted to get revenge on.
Maybe some strange thing came No one knew what their secret was,
down from the sky, some being but they said if you made them
from far away among the stars, angry, you were finished. They
like in the old books grandad could make things come out of the
has. At first, no one noticed darkness; horrible, twisted things
its presence, until all the pets with drooling mouths that follow
started to go missing, but that you in your dreams. They could
wasnt all, now that thing has make disgusting things appear in
found an even more appetizing your stomach, so the doctors had
meal: us kids, sleeping placidly in to open you up to take them out.
our beds. We all wonder what the secret
was. Some old book they got from

108
the attic, which gave them dark
and strange powers; some demon
The Kid From
they made a pact with The Pumpkin Field
No matter what it is, try not to Older kids are so annoying; they
make them mad, because if you mock younger ones, make jokes about
do, they will make you pay. And their appearance: if you are the fatty
there will be no escape; not garlic, they will make your life hell, and if your
not crosses or talismans, not even ears are a little bigger than usual they
spells will save you from them. will compare you to ridiculous things
An old song says if you dont until they make you cry.
believe in ghosts, in witches and An old story says that, in the deepest
drooling things, if you turn your part of the forest, in a pumpkin
back on them and deny their field, lies the soul of a child that
existence, they disappear. was tormented until he could
They also say if you close your take it no more. They say if you
eyes and count to ten, ugly things find the exact place and bring
that lurk in the dark will go away three objects from the boys who
forever. You could try that, if the are giving you a hard time, the
mean children are stalking you pumpkin field kid will wake up for
It may work, butdo you believe three nights and punish those stupid
hard enough? boys for making your life so hard.

109
But be careful, because it wont be
easy; first you have to find his place
A Walk Through
of rest. Maybe you should investigate,
read old newspapers or ask around
The Hospital
Hospitals are terrible. They smell funny
to see if anyone knows anything
and from time to time someone comes
about the legend. You will also need to
and hurts you. They prick at you or rub
find the three objects for the sacrifice,
your skin with a cold sponge. Mom
and go to the field when the moon is
and dad cant be with you all the time
black and the night falls around you
and you spend a lot of time drawing
in total darkness.
or watching TV. You can meet other
And youd better be sure about children there, more sick kids you can
summoning him, because he wont play with.
stop until he accomplishes his mission.
Nighttime is the worst, when the
You mustnt care how horrible the
lights go out and the other children
torture is going to be for the bullies:
appear
they say sometimes he prefers to
punish children by hurting those The ones who cry in the halls and that
they love. So remember, once he sometimes stick their bruised faces to the
windows facing the hall. Sometimes you
starts, he wont stop until he is done.
can feel them breathe under your bed,
their cold body under yours.

110
Some kids say that, years ago, the hospital in a story during the day. They
was an asylum and the people who use their day-to-day experiences
worked there did bad things to children. to create a sort of fantastic safe
Some say the hospital was built on top space, because they dont want to
of an old orphanage that burned down, spend the night alone, in the dark.
and that many kids couldnt escape. But not every experience is a positive
A lot of the other children ask for help; one. Maybe that neighbors ugly dog
maybe we should talk to them and slips into their world, turning into a
help them rest. What if someone, or beast with a foaming maw. Or maybe
something, has them prisoner here and that old lady with the greasy hair
they cant leave and thats why they are who was asking for a penny is now a
so sad and lonely? Maybe the janitor witch who chases them to steal their
knows something? What if one night happiness. Or the teacher, in their
we make a visit to the basement? Im dreams, follows them to hit them
sure well find answers there. with her wooden ruler.
But before we go to that dark place, well When these beings appear,
need a few things. Some candles or a fantasy worlds stop being light and
flashlight, with new batteries of course; warm and become dark places
I wouldnt go down there without a light full of long shadows that chase the
after hearing the terrible roars that echo children.
through the water pipes. At times like this the child wants
nothing more than to wake up, realize
In The Dark it was all just a dream and go back to
Of The Night reality, so he can scream and dad comes
in and saves him and tucks him in. But
At night, when children go to bed,
lights go out. Mother and father are no its not so simple; sometimes you have to
longer around and the darkness is all face your fears for the nightmare to end.
around them. Kids can no longer do all And you arent always alone; sometimes
the things they do during the day. They some toy of yours appears to give you
are alone, accompanied only by their some advantage.
teddy bears and the days memories. You can also shout your friends
Thats why sometimes they prefer names at the top of your lungs so
to make up their own imaginary they come to help you and you can
worlds. They travel around with live great adventures together.
their imaginary friends in a world But be careful, because the world
of fantasy and joy. They climb into of dreams and nightmares is a
a hollow tree and fall into a sort of blurry, confusing thing; always be
wonderland, or maybe they head careful of who you invite to your
towards a tall castle they dreamed nightmares, you never know who
can slip in accidentally.
111
Grandma's House Youd better decide fast, because
grandma will do it all over again,
Sometimes parents think that otherwise. She will lock you up in that
its a good idea that children dark room, reading terrible stories
spend some time in their grandmas from the other side of the door. Be
house. But thats not always such a quick; mom and dad wont be back to
good idea. Not all grandmas are kind, save you for a while now. Run, before
charming beings that give cookies she catches you.
and pinch cheeks. Sometimes
grandmas house becomes a
terrifying place.
Abandoned Places
There are solitary, old places
Rooms full of dolls that seem to
that want to tell their stories. Old
follow us with cold eyes and
factories, abandoned houses full of
whisper as we leave the room.
empty rooms, ancient graveyards,
Forbidden locked rooms that
apartment buildings, or some old
hide terrible mysteries, from
motel, forsaken in the middle of
which sometimes come
nowhere.
strange, unsettling noises.
Ululating basements that go These are ancient places, where
deep into the earth, swallowed dozens of lives and stories have
by darkness. Closets that smell happened. Where every room,
like mothballs, with old coats crypt, or office can hide some silent
that seem to take on a life of secret for most people. But not for
their own, swinging from their the curious kids who enter them.
hangers. And in the kitchen, foul They are not evil places, but they
smelling pots bubble on the stove, know that only children can hear
while the old clock sounds its slow, their stories, and when children
tired tick-tock. And when bath time come in by pure chance, they dont
comes, the bath is too cold or too want them to leave; they want their
hot, and grandmas sharp yellow warmth, their innocence, their
nails sometimes scratch your back. attention. Because they know their
Youd rather hide, of course, but young, impressionable minds are the
where? With the cold dolls? In only ones with which these forgotten
a closet next to the scary coats places can communicate.
waiting for you with their sleeves Sometimes the stories are fun and
open? Or is it time to explore that characters parade around the rooms
dark stairway that goes into the before the childs astonished face.
earth, heading to a subterranean But not all places are peaceful, nor
world full of spiders and rats? all stories funny. Sometimes horrible

112
stories need to be told, old debts true face of these cruel monsters,
must be paid, and dark vibrations which in reality are foul things that
terrorize the youngsters. feed on their fear, tasting their
But these places, jealous of their cries and rejoicing in their screams.
happiness, wont ever let children And so, dressed like clowns or kindly
leave. They may make them participate old men, they can get close to the kids
on their terrible events and heal old so they can take them away to their
wounds. Maybe they have to turn off underground hide-outs and devour
the old boilers at the heart of the place every last bit of fear in their bodies.
to make it sleep, or maybe they must So tell your friends, brothers, and
find the exact place where they can school mates, because if anyone falls
escape if you dont look back. into their clutches, no one will
be able to save them. Unless you
The Fear Eaters want look for their lair; you may
Children dont like strangers. They get lucky and save your friend
dont trust them because their parents before the terrible monster
have always told them not to talk to devours his despair.
strangers; because they can be bad
people, so dont even get close to That Strange Kid
them; but some wolves hide in sheeps From Across The Street
clothing... You know what happens in the house
Clowns may seem like nice fellows, across the street, you have been
with their funny painted faces and observing that big kid for months, or
swirling colored clothes. Ice-cream rather that man-sized kid, who lives
vendors too, with their big square in a dark room most of the time. You
trucks and their strange mechanical know how he was chained to the wall
music telling children of their arrival, and how his mother, almost 90, fed
bringing sweet ice cream of every him every day.
kind and flavor. Theres also the kind But the old woman died a couple days
man from the store that sells candies, ago, of a heart attack. You all thought
nuts and sweets of every kind. What someone would come for him, but
child hasnt bought a caramel coated a day and a half later, no one has.
apple from these nice men who revel Maybe you should go into the house
in childrens smiles? to help him. You know if you tell the
But some children know what lurks grown-ups they wont believe you
behind that joyful, painted face; and youll get a scolding for spying
what happens if you get into the ice- through the windows.
cream van. Some children know the

113
His night screams dont let you The story stops being fun when a
sleep. How come no-one but you wolf growls behind you while you
hears them? run to safety, or when you wake up
Finally, you decide to go into the locked in the candy house, about
house, but when you get to his room to be roasted with an apple in your
the window is broken and the chains mouth. Or when you are trapped
are ripped from the wall. Outside, in an ogres house, hidden, while
on the lawn, you can see the he sniffs the air, looking for you to
strange, gorilla-like kid looking pluck your head from your body
at all of you, his face red with with his huge fingers.
hate. Should you leave the house? Luckily, us kids know all the
Call the police? He knows youve stories and have the advantage
been inside his home; maybe he over the witches, wolfs, and ogres
misses his mama and blames that chase us. The problem is that
you for her disappearance. It the protagonists dont like to be
would be best to leave through kicked out of the starring role in
the back door, but what if their own stories, and they become
hes there, stalking you in the sullen and dangerous.
darkness? You know youve put But you can trick them if you are
your heads into the lions mouth, smart, appealing to their pride,
and that you cant escape, but the and if you succeed you can live a
house is big and if you hide long great adventure with your favorite
enough you might find the way to story characters. If you dont youd
send for help. better run, and run fast, because
an angry story protagonist is much
Never Fall Asleep worse than any ogre; if you have
During A Story to face one of them, youll wish
the witch had eaten you.
People believe bedtime stories help
children fall asleep, but what they
dont know is that stories are The Secret Room
powerful things. And sometimes, Every house has a secret room. Its
when a child falls asleep while a room mums and dads dont know
listening to a story with his about, that grown-ups cant enter.
mommys soft voice tip-toeing Bad dreams hide in this room
through his ears, he gets stuck during the day and only come out
in the story, having to face at night, when people sleep and no
adventures to get out of that one can see them, so no-one can
dreamy state his parents have left find the secret room.
him in.

114
But sometimes children cant is real and those who enter
sleep; the shadows feel playful and have to relive them again and
dont let them fall asleep, and then again. Others say the room is
the creaking of a faraway door can a prison and whatever child
be heard, like some old cat crying. goes into it gets replaced by an
Then children can go out to the identical clone that lives his life
hall and find a door that shouldnt while he rots in a cell. Others say
be there, half opened. all secrets rooms have doors
No one know whats inside the that communicate with each
secret room; no child that has other, and if you go in youll get
gone in has ever come back out. transported into a maze of doors
Some say the room is a nightmare and rooms, and must search for an
museum, were every bad dream exit. If this is true and you ever
go in, you may be able to find
the other lost children and
together, maybe, find a way
out.
Or maybe you will wander
the labyrinth forever, until
you go crazy. Maybe those
children who are never seen
again disappear forever, and
their parents forget about them;
they become the bad dreams that
forever haunt the secret room.

115
THE 20 RULES
RULE No. 1: FEAR IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT.
RULE No. 2: EVERYTHING YOU SAY, YOU MUST DO
RULE No. 3: IF YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO DO IT, THEN YOU SUCCEED. IF NOT, YOU MUST TRY
HARDER.
RULE No. 4: IF A CHILD NEEDS TO STRIVE, THE PLAYER DECIDES IF HE WANTS TO TACKLE
THE ACTION, SPENDING AS MANY KNUCKLES AS IT IS NECESSARY TO MATCH THE ADEQUATE
AGE, OR FAIL BY ONLY SPENDING HALF AS MANY.
RULE No. 5: IN AN OPPOSED ACTION, EACH PLAYER SECRETLY CHOOSES HOW MANY
KNUCKLES HIS CHARACTER SPENDS. THE USED KNUCKLES ARE ADDED TO THE CHILDS AGE
TRAIT AND THE HIGHEST NUMBER WINS.
RULE No. 6: THE MASTERS CHARACTERS DONT HAVE KNUCKLES, ONLY CHILDREN AND
MONSTERS DO.
RULE No. 7: THE PLAYER NARRATES THE RESULTS OF HIS CHARACTERS ACTIONS.
RULE No. 8: IF A CHARACTER EXCEEDS THE DIFFICULTY TO SUCCEED ON AN ACTION BY
THREE OR MORE POINTS, HE OBTAINS A SPECTACULAR SUCCESS. IF YOU DECIDE NOT SPEND
ANY KNUCKLES, A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE HAPPENS.
RULE NO. 9: FOR EACH APPLICABLE CAPABILITY OF A CHARACTER THAT MAY APPLY TO
AN ACTION, HE RECEIVES +1 TO THE ATTRIBUTE. FOR EACH LIMITATION, HE GETS A -1.
RULE No. 10: A MONSTERS TERROR TRAIT IS ALWAYS EQUAL TO THE NUMBER OF BLACK
KNUCKLES IT HAS. AS A MONSTER SCARES OR HARMS A CHILD, IT EARNS BLACK KNUCKLES.
RULE No. 11: A CHILD LOSES A BLUE OR GREEN KNUCKLE FOR EACH POINT OF DAMAGE OR
HE CAN RECEIVE A RED KNUCKLE FOR EACH THREE POINTS OF DAMAGE. IT IS THE PLAYERS
CHOICE.
RULE No. 12: WHEN HE STRIVES, A CHARACTER CAN GET HURT AND RECEIVE A RED KNUCKLE
IN EXCHANGE FOR +3 TO A SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTE FOR THAT ACTION.
RULE No. 13: THE DAMAGE RECEIVED BY A CHARACTER IS EQUAL TO THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE ATTRIBUTE OF THE ATTACKER AND THE CHILDS.
RULE No. 14: IF A CHARACTER ACCUMULATES AS MANY RED KNUCKLES AS HIS PHYSICAL
AGE, HE DIES.
RULE No. 15: A CHILD CAN IMAGINE HE CAN DO SOMETHING AND EARN +3 FOR EACH
WHITE KNUCKLE USED.
RULE No. 16: DIFFERENT TYPES OF KNUCKLES MAY BE COMBINED IN THE SAME ACTION,
EXCEPT FOR PURELY IMAGINED ACTIONS IN WHICH ONLY WHITE KNUCKLES CAN BE USED.
RULE No. 17: A CHILD CAN IMAGINE THAT AN OBJECT HAS SPECIAL ABILITIES USING ONE
OR MORE WHITE KNUCKLES.
RULE No. 18: A CHILD CAN IMAGINE THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS BY SPENDING ONE OR
MORE WHITE KNUCKLES.
116 RULE No. 19: THE MASTER DECIDES WHEN CHILDREN RECOVER KNUCKLES, NORMALLY
WHEN THERES A CHANGE OF SCENE, TIME PASSES, OR THE LAST KNUCKLE IS SPENT IN THE
MIDDLE OF A FIGHT.
RULE No. 20: GOOD PERFORMANCES SHOULD BE REWARDED WITH KNUCKLES.
My Name Is:
(Name)

I am years old, but I look because I am


(age) (physical age) (trait)

but I act as though I am because I am


(mental age) (trait)

I believe in things grown-ups dont


(innocence)
Things I like: Good things about me: Bad things about me:

(hobbies) (advantages) (disadvantages)


What scares me the most This is me:

(damage)
I sometimes hurt myself

(the breath of life)


My family:

My friends:

Me:

117
Go to sleep little babe,
Go to sleep little babe,
Mom and dad have gone away, but your fears are gonna stay
Didnt leave no toys, only darkness.
Go to sleep little babe,
Go to sleep little babe,
Now the light is gone, you are in danger and alone
Fly away, run now, little baby.
Youre a sweet little babe,
Youre a sweet little babe,
Ill strip the flesh off your bones, leave behind your bloody clothes
Just a cry in the night, little baby.
It is just a game, so there is no need to be afraid.
Or maybe you should be

Do you remember the time when any shadow could turn into
a monster? Do you remember the strange noises against your
window on windy nights? What about when you closed your
eyes and hid underneath the bed covers so you couldnt see what
was poking through the slightly ajar closet door? Would you like
to go back? Would you dare?
They are waiting for you and they are hungry.
innocents is a childrens horror, imagination, and psychodrama
role playing game for adults.

You might also like