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A Storytelling Game of

Exploration and AdventureByEric J. Boyd



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COVER DESIGN

Paul Bourne

ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONSUnder License from Otherworld Creations except

Pages 6, 37 by Stefano Moroni

CHARACTER SHEET AND ADVENTURE WORKSHEET

Fred Hicks

LAYOUT AND DESIGN FEEDBACK

jim pinto

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSISTANCE

Alexander Cherry, Via The Deal by Malcolm Sheppard

(www.mobunited.com), Paul Beakley

PLAYTESTERS

Alexander Cherry, Del Benjamin,

Mendel Schmiedekamp, Lia Talmas, Zach Gotsch,

Mike Sands, Bruce Norris, Stefan Tyler,

Andrew McLeod, Jason Pollock, Daniel Steadman,

Josh Roby, Mark Vallianatos, Judson Lester, Jeff Tidball,

jim pinto, Malcolm Sheppard, Tara Deblois,

Kearsley Schieder-Wethy, Tony Dowler, Phil Larose,

Sam Spritzer, Trey Gorden, OrcCon 2007 Playtesters

FEEDBACK AND ENCOURAGEMENT

Ian Burton-Oakes, Matt Cowens, James Brown,

Graham Walmsley, Jason Morningstar, Eric Provost,

Thor Hansen, Darcy Burgess, Richard J. Rogers,

Mike Turk, Paul Strack, Nick, Todd, Tim C. Koppang

THE COMMITTEE FOR THE EXPLORATION

OF MYSTERIES is brought to you byERIC J. BOYD DESIGNS

www.ericjboyddesigns.com

© 2007, 2010 Eric J. Boyd



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Table of Contents

This Meeting of the Committee Is Called to Order....8I. The Structure of Play...................................................10

Setting the Stage.......................................................10

The Expedition’s Tale Begins...................................11

The Plot Thickens....................................................13

Desires Achieved?.....................................................14

Multiple-Session Expeditions...................................14

The Role of Drinking in the Game...........................15

II. Setting the Stage for Adventure...............................17 Exploration Site and Route Creation...........................18

The Exploration Site.................................................18

The Route.................................................................20

Hazard Creation.............................................................21

Brainstorming...........................................................21

Hazard List................................................................24

Creating the Expedition Log.........................................25

III. The Committee’s Finest...........................................28Character Creation........................................................29

Desire........................................................................29

Attributes..................................................................30

Descriptors................................................................31

Gear and Associations..............................................32

Finishing Touches.....................................................33

Opposition & Introductions.........................................34

Establishing Your Opposition...................................34

Character Introductions...........................................35

IV. Dangers From All Sides..........................................37

Single Character Hazard Resolution............................38

Transitional Narration..............................................39

Framing the Hazard & Setting the Hazard Roll ......40

Reflective Narration ................................................41

Free Role-Playing......................................................43

Step-By-Step Hazard Resolution..................................44

Calling Upon Your Desire .......................................44Choosing an Attribute .............................................45

Rolling the Character’s Dice ...................................46

Narrating the Resolution .........................................46



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Gear, Associations & Unattached Descriptors ........49

Earning Acclaim from Resolution ............................50

Increasing Attributes ................................................57

Getting Help .............................................................57

Running Out of Time ...............................................61

Being Stymied ...........................................................62

Group Hazards...............................................................65

No Timer Used .........................................................66

Setting the Scene ....................................................66

Round-Robin Resolution ........................................67

Gaining and Losing Acclaim ...................................68

Closing the Scene ....................................................68

Cliffhangers .............................................................71V. Drama & Denouement..............................................74

Gambling Acclaim.........................................................75

A Sudden Insight ....................................................75

Changing Tactics ....................................................76

Requesting Aid ........................................................78

Revealing Hitherto Unknown Abilities ..................78

Adding to the Expedition Log.......................................79

Creating Story Elements .........................................79Reusing Story Elements ...........................................82

Connecting Story Elements ....................................85

Destroying Story Elements ......................................86

Ending the Game............................................................90

VI. Other Ways to Play the Game...............................92

Drinking Game Rules ..............................................93

Quick-Play Game ....................................................94

Smash the Evil Mastermind ....................................94Heightened Competition ........................................96

Planetary Romance .................................................99

Superspies ................................................................99

Tales of the Dungeon of Doom .............................100

Tall Tales & Munchausen-esque Braggadocio .....101

Retelling Myths .....................................................103

Criminals Recounting a Job ..................................103

Design Notes................................................................104Rules Summary............................................................106

Summary of Key Phrases.............................................113



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“We arrived at the foot of the mountains in which the mythical

city of the ape men was rumored to lie. Now in sight of our goal,

we took a moment’s rest. There was myself, Zarbon the Illusionist,

magician and escape artist extraordinaire—you could say I was the

de facto leader of our group; Bric Taylor, former heavyweight

champion boxer who had since traveled the world; Dr. Jane McGrute,

a seasoned archeologist and linguist; and Nahuel Quidel, who

purported to be some sort of shaman who channeled the sprits of the

animals and plants around him. After a long drink from my canteen,

I reconnoitered the trail ahead. Little did I know what challengeawaited me.”

“Yep, I think it was not long after that, Zarbon, when you found

yourself at a fork in the trail where a weathered obelisk stood.

As you approached, you heard a bestial grunt and the obelisk pitched

forward and came hurtling down the trail toward you!”

“Indeed, Bric, I knew only quick reflexes would save me. I leapt to the

side so that the obelisk would pass me by, but my limp caused me to

stumble. Realizing my dire peril, I rolled into a depression in the trail

so that the obelisk would pass right over me.”

“And so it did. But the obelisk, in coming loose from its moorings, also

caused an avalanche of stones to come rocketing down the slope in a

wide wave of death.”

“I would have met my end if not for the stout, virtually invisible line

that I use in my levitation illusion. With a flick of my wrist, I wrapped

the line in the boughs of a nearby tree, and the spring cleverly hidden

in the lining of my vest released and bore me upward.”

“But then the rocks smashed against the tree you escaped to with

terrific force, shaking, cracking, and then snapping the trunk.”

I n t r o d u c t i o n



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“A fall, even a long one such as this, is a simple matter for a trained

escape artist such as myself. I positioned myself on the top side of the

falling tree and braced myself using the line and my walking stick.

Down came the tree with a thunderous crash, much like the applause

to which I am accustomed. As the dust settled and the noise of the

rocks subsided, I stepped forth, dusty and in need of another drink but

none the worse for wear. In the now-silent jungle, I could hear the

sounds of a large animal making its way up the mountain.

Perhaps the ape men were not only real, but they protected their city

to this very day.”

The Committee for the Exploration of Mysteries is the foremost

institution of learning and research in the world. Its team of

scholars and savants travel the globe unearthing ancient artifacts

and discovering the remnants of lost civilizations. Along the way,

the members of the Committee encounter hazardous landscapes,

hostile natives, vicious rivals, and cunning death traps. Yet they

always return with tales of daring and discovery. You are

esteemed members of the Committee—a daring pilot, a scientific

genius, a master spy, or a savage jungle lord. Your skills and

abilities are beyond equal, and your will and persistence are

unshakeable in the face of adversity.

Yet each of you harbors a desire deep in your sturdy heart—

perhaps to prove that women are just as capable as men, to sell

your memoirs and embark on a comfortable retirement, or to

secure the esteem of your beloved’s haughty father. Your desire is

your driving passion, and it motivates you to greater deeds just as



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I n t r o d u c t i o n

it blinds you to possible pitfalls. To achieve your desire, you have

risked your life and reputation by participating in another of the

Committee’s expeditions to plumb the secrets nestled in hidden

corners of the globe. Only by gaining acclaim for your

contributions to the expedition and being recognized as the first

among equals will you finally have the reputation and power to

grasp your heart’s desire.

Newly returned from your expedition, you sit with your peers of

the Committee as they settle down to listen to your report. Each

sips a favorite beverage—tea from a dainty cup, whiskey straight,

or an elixir known only to Amazon witch doctors. The chronicler

looks at you eagerly over the top of his spectacles, ready to record

your every word for posterity. The crates, still packed with the

artifacts that you have retrieved, await opening and a full telling

of your story.

Now is the time to achieve the great acclaim that has always

been your due and prove to the hardened adventurers, geniuses,

and polymaths gathered before you that you are worthy of their

respect and support in your every endeavor. You’ve gone into

danger and survived driven by your desire; now is the time to

bring it to fruition.



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A Note About Terminology

When you see a capitalized term, it refers to a part of themechanics of the game. So “acclaim” is the general

attention your character seeks, while “Acclaim” is themechanical currency that your character earns byovercoming hazards—the in-game measure of thegeneral attention your characters seek.

The Committee for the Exploration of Mysteries is a storytelling

game of pulp exploration in the spirit of Victorian tales of

adventure and the films of a certain bullwhip-wielding

archeologist of the 1930s. You can choose to set your expedition

during either time period.

You can play in a single evening of three to six hours or over

multiple sessions. You take on the dual roles of playing your own

hero in overcoming hazards and acting as Opposition to another

player’s character by describing hazards and complications for

them. The competition for Acclaim and achievement of your

character’s desire should motivate you, but the true goal is to

work together to tell an entertaining story of exotic adventure.

Here’s a rundown of the structure of the game:

First, everyone decides on the basics of the expedition to give the

story a skeleton. This consists of several tasks: (1) Create the

exploration site that is the goal of the expedition and the secret

Setting the Stage



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T h e

S t r u c t u r e

o f P l a y

hidden there; (2) Pick two or three locations along the route to

get there from the Committee’s headquarters; and (3) Brainstorm

a list of hazards everyone would like to see during the adventure.

Next, create the expedition log to note story elements that you

want to see featured again. Then, everyone creates a character

who is a member of the Committee—a pulp-inspired hero whose

abilities are suited to the demands of the expedition you just

created the basic outlines of.

Each character will tell tales about their exploits at each locationalong the expedition’s route and at the exploration site itself,

with play proceeding in a round-robin fashion. Decide on a set

number of tales that each character will tell about each location.

Depending upon the number of players and how long you want

to play, choose one or two tales per character per route location.

Telling a tale can take up to 10 minutes each, depending upon

the amount of free role-playing. The exploration site gets the

most attention, with each character telling one additional tale

above this chosen number to chronicle the events there.

Once the preparatory tasks are done, assign Opposition to each

character and introduce your characters to the group.Then, begin your characters’ tales, chronicling the events of the

expedition and highlighting your characters’ contributions.

The oldest player takes the first turn and begins their tale by

describing how the expedition set off from its origin. Begin your

character’s tales by providing transitional narration to move the

expedition forward in space and time and establish where your

character is and what they are doing. Then call for yourOpposition to step in and frame a hazard for your character.

The Expedition’s Tale Begins



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What You Need to Play

· 3-5 players

· A clear glass of about the same size for each player· Age-appropriate, in-character beverages (beer, wine,

brandy, etc. for adults or nonalcoholic sparklingcider, soda, or punch for teetotalers or youths)

· About a dozen six-sided dice (d6) per player and adozen ten-sided dice (d10)

· A three-minute hourglass or timer easily visible tothe whole table

· Tokens (poker chips, pennies, glass beads, etc.) totrack the Acclaim of the characters

· A character sheet for each player, an adventureworksheet, scratch paper, and writing implements

This hazard can be created on the spot, come from the hazard list

created before play, or come from the story elements everyonehas created during play and placed on the expedition log. Your

Opposition sets the hazard’s difficulty and rolls the appropriate

number of d10s. Decide which attribute to use in overcoming the

hazard and whether to use the attribute’s special descriptor,

and then roll the appropriate number of d6s.

Resolution consists of putting forward one die at a time (alongwith a descriptor die if you have one) as you describe how your

character takes a step toward overcoming the hazard.

After you put forward a die, your Opposition describes a

complication that your character must confront in your next

piece of narration. To successfully resolve the hazard, you must

put forward dice sufficient to meet or exceed the hazard’sdifficulty. Each hazard must be bested within the three-minute

time limit provided by the timer.



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If successful, you gain Acclaim based on the number of d6s used

to overcome the hazard (excluding descriptor dice). Then,

you can provide reflective narration to end your tale and

foreshadow future plot developments. Play then proceeds to the

next player.

If you run out of time but your dice could have met or exceeded

the hazard’s difficulty, you lose some Acclaim and are interrupted

by the next player, whose turn immediately begins. If your dice

cannot meet or exceed the hazard’s difficulty when you run out

of time, the whole expedition is stymied, resulting in a special

scene where the expedition must work around the obstacle the

hazard presents. After this scene, play proceeds as normal.

After each character has told their tales about a location, the

expedition continues onward through the next player’s

transitional narration to the next location. Along the way,

group hazards will arise to challenge the entire expedition

whenever two or more players’ beverage glasses are empty. Some

of these group hazards can be cliffhangers by taking a break when

the characters reach the cliffhanger threshold in the resolution.

You can add anything you talk about during a tale to theexpedition log as a story element—a signal that you want to see

it in the story again. Once established, other players receive

Acclaim for connecting story elements you created to other

story elements, severing existing connections, or using a story

element as the basis of a hazard. In turn, you receive Acclaim for

reusing their story elements.

T h e

S t r u c t u r e

o f P l a y

The Plot Thickens



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After the chosen number of tales for each character at the

exploration site, a final group hazard resolves the expedition’squest for good or ill. With that, the report of the expedition ends

and you compare your characters’ Acclaim.

The character with the most Acclaim basks in the adoration of

their peers and achieves their desire. That player gets to narrate

their character’s epilogue in whatever way they like.

The other players each narrate an epilogue in descending order

of Acclaim. Each epilogue is progressively more constrained by

facts imposed by the players with more Acclaim. Such facts

cannot directly thwart a character’s desire, but they may lead a

player to describe how the character achieved a mixed result or

lost their desire. Such results can be just as fun to narrate as a

total success. After the epilogues, the game is complete.

For a multiple-session expedition, each session focuses on the

events at one or two locations along the route, with a whole

session, or at least a large part of one, devoted to the exploration

site. The route to the exploration site may have three to five

locations, and each character should tell between one and three

tales per location. Again, each character should tell an extra tale

about the exploration site. Each session except the last ends with

a cliffhanger group hazard that is resolved at the beginning of the

next session.

Character descriptors that can only be used a set number of times

reset at the beginning of each session. After resolution of the

previous session’s cliffhanger, round-robin play resumes with the

Multiple-Session Expeditions

Desires Achieved?



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player whose turn was noted as being next before the group

hazard arose. Otherwise, play proceeds as normal.

During the game, each player has a clear glass of an in-character

beverage in front of them. These beverages are for everyone’s

comfort and serve to evoke the leisure and luxury of the

Committee as they lounge in their meeting hall. You also need a

bottle or pitcher of your beverages to easily refill the glasses.

Each player’s glass is filled at the beginning of the game session,

and refilled at the player’s request between tales. You can pass a

bottle or other container among the players as play rotates

around the table to track whose turn it is to tell a tale, or you can

pass the adventure worksheet around in a similar manner.

These beverages serve as more than just props. The degree to

which you have drained your glass also triggers group hazards—

whenever there is more than one empty glass at the end of a tale

a group hazard is played next. The level of beverage in your glass

also determines who frames a group hazard and who gets the final

word on how the expedition triumphs after being stymied.

In addition, players can raise their glasses in appreciation of

entertaining narration by another player. Whenever one or more

players does so, the narrator receives an additional point of

Acclaim for their character. While this may help another

character in the quest for Acclaim, to deny the virtue of

another’s tale due to envy is ungentlemanly and not to be

indulged by the Committee members. Finally, the beginning and

end of the expedition are marked by a hearty toast,

“A toast! To learning, travel, and adventure!”

The Role of Drinking in the Game T h e

S t r u c t u r e

o f P l a y



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Another option is to fill clear glasses with nuts, pretzels, candy,

or other finger foods. This allows you to use the fullness of the

glasses in the same manner as beverages without the fuss.

For those interested in making the Committee’s meeting into a

full-on drinking game, I have included optional rules on page 93.

Summary of theStructure of Play

· Decide on a game set in the 1930s or the Victorian era

· Decide on one or two tales per characterper location

· Create the exploration site and its secret

· Decide on two or three route locations

· Brainstorm a list of potential hazards· Create the expedition log· Create your characters

· Assign Opposition· Introduce your characters and toast· Begin play, with each character telling the decided

number of tales per location· Have group hazards whenever you notice more than

one glass is empty· Tell one extra tale per character about theexploration site

· End the expedition’s report with a final group hazardand toast

· Narrate character epilogues in order from most toleast Acclaim



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Having set the stage for your expedition’s adventure, we now

move to creating your characters. Begin by envisioning him or

her in your mind’s eye. What do you see—a reckless archeologist,

a dashing playboy, a big game hunter?

Go around and have each player briefly describe their characterconcept to the group. Try to make each character unique to

ensure entertaining tales. If someone is at a loss for ideas, offer

them suggestions.

Next, consider your character’s desire. What motivates your

character to risk their life and established reputation by going on

a dangerous expedition? Why does your character need more

acclaim? What will they do with it?

Your character’s desire is a single sentence that describes a goal

or passion that publicity and acclaim will allow them to achieve.

It can involve supporting characters like relatives, lovers, or

rivals, or it can be more general. What it cannot be is boring or

easily achieved; otherwise why would your dynamic hero be

gambling everything to see it made real?

This desire affects how your character responds to the

expedition’s challenges, but it often is not related to the details of

the expedition. Instead, a desire is a personal goal or passion to

be achieved upon returning home. Once decided, write down your character’s desire. A character sheet is provided at the back

of this book and online at www.ericjboyddesigns.com.

Desire

C h a r a c t e r C r e a t i o n



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Tell the group your character’s desire. It is considered an open

secret known by the other Committee members. You can invoke

your character’s desire during a tale by narrating an aside about

how the desire made the hazard especially challenging or

motivated your character to face the hazard with extra vigor.

Example: Jerry, Ed, Ashley, and Doug move on to character

creation. Jerry decides to create a skeptical stage magician, Ed wants a

tough-as-nails former boxer, Ashley decides on a bookish archeologist,

and Doug wants a tribal shaman.

Jerry decides his stage magician’s desire is to use fame and publicity

from the expedition to carry on his crusade to debunk spiritualism.

So apparent supernatural hazards will tie into this desire.

Ed, on the other hand, decides his former boxer wants to prove to his

girlfriend’s well-heeled family that he is worthy of marrying her despite

his working-class background. Social hazards, particularly thoseinvolving class differences or questioning the character’s self-worth,

would tie in nicely.

Once you have your character’s concept and desire, use the

mechanics to fill in the picture. Each character has four primary

attributes:

Attributes

· Daring – physical dynamism and power, as well as

coordination and speed

· Genius – mastery of science or occult lore, building and

using gadgets, clever tricks, and solving conundrums

· Instinct – attunement with yourself and the world

around you, encompassing observation, survival skills,and acting on your fight-or-flight impulse

· Charisma – personal magnetism, befriending and

manipulating others



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Divide 11 six-sided dice (d6) among the four attributes. This is

the number of dice you will roll when your character tries to

overcome a hazard using that attribute. Each attribute must be at

least 1d6, and one attribute must be the highest.

In addition to a number of dice, each attribute also receives a

descriptor, a word or short phrase that describes your character’s

particular manifestation of or specialty under that attribute.

In choosing descriptors, keep your character concept in mindand have each descriptor, even those for lower attributes, help

create a unified vision of your character’s abilities. Examples of

descriptors include “Two-Fisted” or “Crack Shot” for Daring,

“Wizard” or “Botany” for Genius, “Jungle Lord” or “Tracker” for

Instinct, and “Gambler” or “Seductress” for Charisma.

Descriptors for low attributes can even be detrimental, helping

your character overcome hazards despite themselves (e.g., a

Genius descriptor of “Ditzy” or an Instinct descriptor of

“Oblivious to Danger”).

If your descriptor applies to a given hazard, you may choose to

roll an extra d6 for use in overcoming it. This extra descriptor die

is not included in figuring the number of dice you used to

overcome the hazard, which determines the amount of Acclaim you receive for doing so. However, you can only use a descriptor

a number of times equal to the number of dice in the attribute

the descriptor is tied to.

Example: Everyone continues to create their characters. Jerry

allocates his 11d6 among the four attributes of his skeptical stage

magician as follows: Daring 2d6, Genius 2d6, Instinct 3d6,and Charisma 4d6. He chooses the following descriptors: Daring –

Sleight of Hand, Genius – Stage Magic, Instinct – Skeptical Eye,

and Charisma – Stage Presence.

Descriptors




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Ed does the same for his former boxer, giving him: Daring 5d6,

Genius1d6, Instinct 3d6, and Charisma 2d6. He chooses the

descriptors: Daring – Two-Fisted, Genius – Devout Catholic,

Instinct – Streetwise, and Charisma – Intimidation.

Each character also has Gear and Associations. Gear represents

the equipment a character brings to the expedition.

Associations are twofold. First, they can represent direct aid from

allies and acquaintances in the current moment or in the past viaa flashback. Second, they can represent past teachers or mentors

that give indirect aid by having imparted special knowledge or

skills useful in current circumstances. Narrating the use of Gear

and Associations during resolution of a hazard allows you to roll

extra dice for use in overcoming it.

Gear and Associations each get a descriptor that operates likethose for attributes. Examples include “Chrome-Plated Pistols” or

“Jet Pack” for Gear, and “Rival Archeologists” or “Jungle

Princess” for Associations. Each descriptor can be used a number

of times equal to the number of dice in Gear or Associations,

respectively. Your character’s highest attribute determines his or

her level of Gear and Associations.

Gear and Associations

Highest

AttributeGear Associations

Daring 2d6 2d6

Genius 3d6 1d6

Instinct 2d6 2d6

Charisma 1d6 3d6



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Finally, each character begins with three Acclaim to denote their

status as well-known Committee members. During introductionsand play, your character will receive unattached descriptors that

grant you a descriptor die when used but are not attached to an

attribute or your Gear or Associations. Unattached descriptors

can each be used once. For now, leave that area of your character

sheet blank.

Finally, give your character a name and a brief background.When play begins, the players will go around and introduce the

characters to the group.

Example: For Jerry’s stage magician, Charisma is highest, so he has

Gear 1d6 and Associations 3d6. Jerry chooses the descriptors Gear –

Magic Props and Associations – Adoring Fans. He takes three

Acclaim tokens and gives his character the name Zarbon the Illusionist.

Ed’s former boxer has Daring highest, so he has Gear 2d6 and

Associations 2d6. Ed chooses the descriptors Gear – Rosary Beads and

Associations – Former Trainers. He chooses the name Bric Taylor and

takes three Acclaim tokens. The characters are ready to be introduced

to the group when play begins.

Finishing Touches




34

Once your characters are created, determine who will serve as

the Opposition for each. Initially, the player two places to your

right serves as your Opposition.

You can serve as a character’s Opposition for an entire single-

session expedition, or you can have the job of Opposition shift to

the right as you reach each new location along the expedition

route and the expedition site itself. However, for a multiple-

session expedition, the job of Opposition for your character

should shift to the right as each new location is reached.

Establishing Your Opposition

Summary of Character Creation

· Think of character concepts and discuss them

· Choose your character’s desire· Divide 11d6 among Daring, Genius, Instinct, and

Charisma, with at least 1d6 in each and oneattribute higher than all the others

· Assign a descriptor to each attribute (can be used anumber of times equal to number of dice inattribute)

· Determine Gear and Associations rating based on

the character’s highest attribute· Assign a descriptor to Gear and Associations· Each character starts with three Acclaim· Round out the character with a name and

brief background



35

Character Introductions

O p p o s i t i o n / I n t r o

d u c t i o n s

Next, it is time to introduce your characters and begin play.

The introductions start with the oldest player and continueclockwise around the table. To begin the introduction, say, “And

so, on the appointed day, I, [Character’s name], arrived in the

halls of the Committee.” Then, describe your character to the

group in the most glowing terms possible. Highlight your

character’s most prominent attribute, the skills they have

mastered (in the form of your chosen descriptors), and provide a

bit of your character’s background. Be sure to mention your

character’s desire so that your Opposition can frame scenes that

tie into it.

After this introduction, each player in the role of their character,

beginning with the one to your left, says, “And of course all the

Committee knows…” to state something your character is well-

known for within the Committee. This need not be entirely

positive and can be humorous, but it cannot be scandalous or

completely inappropriate to the tone of your game. If any other

player finds your choice inappropriate, they must use the phrase,

“I daresay not!” If one of the other players agrees that your

statement is inappropriate, they may say, “I concur.” If both

phrases are uttered, your statement is vetoed, and you must make

another statement until there is no veto.

These extra contributions give each character vibrancy and life,

and they serve as unattached descriptors, each of which you can

use once during your tales to gain an additional descriptor die

that does not count for purposes of earning Acclaim. In a game

with many players, if someone cannot think of an interesting

contribution, it is acceptable to pass. Make sure, however, that

each character gets the same number of unattached descriptors.



Write down your character’s unattached descriptors in the space

provided on your character sheet, and keep these traits in mind

when telling tales later in the game.

Example: The time has come for introductions. Jerry is the oldest

player and begins: “And so, on the appointed day, I, Zarbon the

Illusionist, arrived in the halls of the Committee. Lean, dark, and well-

appointed with a black suit, walking stick, and half-cape of scarlet

velvet, I am a master stage magician known for my strong stage

presence and sparkling personality. My hands are quick and deft, and

my eyes are always observant, seeking out charlatans and deceptive

mummery. Having studied under magicians throughout Europe and

the most famous escape artists of the day, I have toured the world

performing acts of wonder and illusion using my clever props.

My adoring fans are legion in the European upper and mercantile

classes. But it is the work of the Committee to which I now devote the

bulk of my acumen. I harbor the desire to overthrow spiritualism and

superstition among the English aristocracy and hope the acclaim of the

expedition will allow me to do just that.”

The other players each contribute something Zarbon is well known for

in the Committee: “And of course all the Committee knows Zarbon is

esteemed for his skill at bridge and darts in the Committee lounge,

though some have whispered that he cheats at the former;” “And of

course all the Committee knows of Zarbon’s waxed moustache and

impeccable hygiene;” and (following up on the walking stick) “An

illusionist he may be, but of course all the Committee knows Zarbon’s

limp, received while exploring an ancient temple in India, is all too

real.”

After all of the introductions, raise your glasses and give a hearty

toast, “A toast! To learning, travel, and adventure!”

the committee jubilee edition preview

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