1

WRitiNG
Lee Foster, Todd Cash, Jim Myers

iNtERiOR art
Fil Kearney and Jes Cole

COVER art
Eran Fowler

GRAPhiCS
Keith Curtis

EDitiNG
Anita Hager

Angakkuit is published by Abstract Nova Entertainment LLC, 10633 Bent Tree Dr., Fredericksburg, VA
22407. All text and graphics are © 2015 Abstract Nova Entertainment LLC. All artwork is © 2015 Fil Kearney,
Jes Cole or Eran Fowler. All rights reserved under international law. No part of this book may be repro-
duced in part or whole, in any form or by any means, except for purposes of review, without the express
written consent of the copyright holders with the exception of the character sheet.
 table of contents
Introduction Hypothermia….......................... 29 Ideas & Inspiration…................ 54
Regaining Favor……................. 30 Call to Action…..........................54
Overview…...................................3 Regaining Initiative……........... 30 Scenes….......................................55
What is Role-playing…...............4 Action & Conflict…................... 56
Rules Overview…........................4 Setting…...................................... 56
Presentation & Breakdown…..... 5
Fighting NPCs…........................................ 57
Disclaimer…................................. 5 Order of Action…...................... 31 Climax…......................................58
Declaration…..............................31 Campaigns….............................. 58
Difficulty…................................. 32 Environmental Threats…..........59
Setting Ability…...................................... 32 Random Encounters….............. 59
Environment….............................7 Attribute….................................. 32 Experience…...............................60
Geography & Demographics…..7 Drawing Cards…....................... 33 Narrator…...................................60
Damage…....................................34 Dreams….....................................61
Drawing the Ace….................... 35 Character Death…..................... 61
Character Creation Spending Initiative…................ 35 Final Thoughts…........................62
Shadows Across the Snow…......9 Weapon Modifiers…..................35
Traits……...................................... 9 Evasion….................................... 36
Attributes….................................. 9 Losing Health…......................... 36 Adventure
Abilities……............................... 10 Absorbing Damage…................36 Overview..................................... 63
Methods……...............................11 Complications from Injuries….37 Call to Action..............................63
Derived Traits…......................... 11 Impairment…............................. 37 Arrival......................................... 64
Favor…........................................ 11 Fighting Spirits…....................... 38 Maggie’s Tavern......................... 65
Health…...................................... 12 Jacob Suluk..................................65
Initiative….................................. 12 Father Alain................................ 66
Weapons….................................. 12
Monsters Katak............................................66
Individual Equipment…...........13 Traits…........................................ 41 The Shoreline.............................. 68
Communal Equipment............. 14 Threat….......................................41 Conclusion.................................. 69
Finishing Touches….................. 14 Defense….................................... 41 Experience...................................69
Character Progression……....... 15 Attack….......................................41
Tenacity…....................................41
Health…...................................... 42
Appendix
Basic Rules Initiative….................................. 42 Atiq.............................................. 70
Declaration…..............................17 Specialties…................................42 Sample Atiq.................................70
Difficulty…................................. 17 Aasivarluut…............................. 42 Arctic Char.................................. 70
Ability…......................................17 Akhla…....................................... 43 Arctic Fox.................................... 71
Attribute…..................................17 Amarurluut….............................43 Arctic Wolf.................................. 71
Drawing Cards…....................... 18 Amautalik…............................... 44 Beluga.......................................... 71
Favor…….................................... 19 Anirniq….................................... 45 Bowhead Whale......................... 71
Drawing the Ace……................ 20 Anurirjuaq…...............................45 Polar Bear.................................... 71
Successive Attempts…….......... 20 Erqigdliit…................................. 45 Seal............................................... 71
Scenes……...................................20 Inukpasugjuit…......................... 46 Skin of the Beast......................... 71
Common Actions……............... 21 Inuarugligasugjuit…................. 47 Snow.............................................71
Athletics……...............................21 Inukturniq…...............................47 Snowy Owl................................. 71
Construction & Repair…....…...22 Kajjait…....................................... 48 Sun............................................... 71
Dog Handling…….....................22 Kayarissat…................................48 Walrus..........................................71
Folklore and Traditions…......... 22 Kukilialuit…............................... 49 Wind.............................................71
Healing……................................ 23 Mahaha…....................................49
Hunting & Tracking……...........23 Nanurluk….................................50
Navigation…….......................... 25 Narajat…..................................... 50
Observation……........................ 25 Qallupilluk…..............................50
Persuasion & Intimidation……25 Qittoriat…................................... 51
Visions…..................................... 25 Tuurngait….................................51
Storytelling…..............................26 Uurgarjuag…..............................52
Unskilled Actions…...................26 Animal & Human Foes…......... 52
Environmental Risks…..............27
Avalanches…….......................... 27
Crevasses….................................28
Game Mastering
Dehydration & Starvation….....28 Referee…..................................... 53
Falling…….................................. 29 Author…..................................... 53
Frostbite……...............................29 Plot…........................................... 53
 3

introduction Chapter One

In the first days, before Moon and Sun, the Land Over time, the shadows faded from the Land.
was dark and teeming with power. Words and Perhaps they went to sleep, tired after many hunts.
thoughts could shape creation and no creature was Perhaps their bellies were full, so we were left to
bound to a single form. The uumajurngautaviniit, multiply like the vole in a warm spring.
the first animals, lived as they wished, flying across
the sky or running upon the ground or swimming Our grandfathers spoke of a day when the shadows
in the deepest waters. would again fall across the snow.

Our ancestors lived side by side with the first animals That day is upon us. Be strong.
and learned their wisdom. Some say our ancestors
were children of the uumajurngautaviniit. Others
say that they were their own and separate things, overview
born of the great and eternal breath from which all
creation is drawn. The truth is long forgotten, lost In the Canadian Arctic, near the top of the world,
on winter winds that have surrendered to the Sky. ancient beings are stirring. They are the monsters
spoken of in Inuit folktales. The remoteness of the
The first days were filled with joy and wonder, region allows them to hunt and kill with little fear
but those days were not to last. As the seasons of discovery. They are the shadows that once caused
passed, our ancestors forgot the wisdom of the ancestral humans to huddle together in the night.
uumajurngautaviniit and knew only one form and They are the shadows that fall across the snow.
one way of living. This sadness is still with us.
Most are oblivious to this waking darkness, but not
There were shadows, as dark as midwinter night, in all. Ilisaiji is an angakkuq, a great shaman of the
those days of forgetting. They hunted our ancestors Inuit, wise to the old tales and songs. He knows of
as one hunts the caribou. Where they came from, the creeping darkness that has returned to the Land.
even our wisest do not know. Some say man created Ilisaiji has gathered a handful of men and women
the shadows from his own fearful dreams. They to stand against the shadows. He is training them
speak of qallupilluk, who lives beneath the water to be angakkuit, shamans, and setting them on the
and drags away unwary children. Others believe path of power. In them, all hope lies.
the shadows were born of broken taboos, such as
inukturniq, he who eats the flesh of his fellow man. Angakkuit is a role-playing game about fighting
Some whisper that the shadows are the children of monsters in the frozen north. While the game is set
Land and Sky, such as the mighty anurirjuaq and in the modern era, the region is so remote it can
kayarissat, the great giants who bring snowstorms feel like the distant past. Players assume the roles
and terrible winds. of fledging angakkuit who are only beginning

The Inuit

The Inuit are the indigenous, aboriginal people of the northern Canadian and Alaskan Arctic.
For millennia, they have called this region home. Although the Inuit live in a remote part of the
world, they reside in permanent communities, many with modern amenities. While the Inuit
once held to animistic principles, such beliefs have largely faded from the culture and modern
Inuit predominately identify as Christian. However, many of the old customs and traditions are
still celebrated, and the old stories live on through oral retellings.

Inuit is the plural form of Inuk.

4

to learn about a world largely hidden from modern society. They are
new to this life and have much to learn. In time, they will become great
angakkuit, but that day is still far away. In the meantime, their chief
focus is dispelling the shadows that fall across the snow.

Supernatural horrors are not the only threat; the environment presents
its own set of challenges. Snowstorms, wild animals, and other obstacles
can be as lethal as any monster.

An Oral Tradition what is role-playing?

While the Inuit have an oral A role-playing game is akin to improvisational theater. Players assume
language stretching back centuries, the roles of characters (referred to as player characters or PCs) who are
their written language is largely the protagonists of the play. In some regards, a role-playing game is like
a modern development. Like the Radio Theater in that the story is told verbally and not physically acted
classic telephone game, details out.
changed and morphed from one
telling to the next. Game Masters Players are the actors and actresses of Angakkuit. They are the ones who
can use this to their advantage, bring the stories to life. Their characters are the principals of the drama.
deviating from folklore whenever it The players decide who their characters are, what they look like, what
suits their purposes, even inventing they do, and how they act; they fuel the dynamic that drives the game
their own monsters. The Inuit via the actions of their characters.
seldom stayed consistent with their
stories so Game Masters are under Being a player is, in some ways, more complex than being an actor…
no obligation to do so either. because there is no script. In a play, the script tells the performer what to
do and what to say. In contrast, a role-playing game is wholly freeform
and improvisational. The player must decide on the spot what the
character does and says, and what motivations might be propelling
those choices.

In a role-playing game, one participant assumes the role of Game

Master (GM). He or she acts as the director, establishing the setting,
plot, and mood. The Game Master must set the stage for the story being
told, creating the framework in which the players act. It is the GM’s
Pronunciation Guide responsibility to relate the environment to the players; this person is the
players’ eyes and ears, describing all that they see, hear, or otherwise
Angakkuit (an-ga-kweet) experience in the fictional world. The Game Master also assumes the
Angakkuq (an-ga-cook) roles of all the characters with whom the players interact, outside of the
Anurirjuaq (a-new-rear-jo-ark) player controlled group of course. These GM controlled characters are
Ilisaiji (e-lee-say-yee) known as non-player characters (NPCs). While the GM must create the
Inukturniq (in-ook-tur-nik) initial framework of the story, the players will determine the ultimate
Kayarissat (ka-ya-rees-sat) direction of the plot.
Qallupilluk (kud-loo-pid-look)
Uumajurngautaviniit (oo-ma-yung- In addition to helping the player characters interact with their
now-ta-vee-neet) environment, the GM also acts as referee. The GM must interpret the
rules of the game in a fair and impartial manner to facilitate play. Thus,
the Game Master should be familiar with the rules beforehand so that
informed and rational rulings can be made.

rules overview
Angakkuit uses a card-based resolution system. Each player and the GM
have their own deck of cards. To determine success or failure, players
 5

draw cards from their deck and certain cards are the players assume within the game’s setting. When
counted as successes, according to the character’s the text is referring to the game’s title, Angakkuit is
abilities. Often, the players will be the only ones capitalized and italicized. When the text is referring
who draw cards. However, for more difficult to the role of angakkuit, it is written in lowercase
actions, the GM draws cards to counter the players’ with no italicization.
successes.

disclaimer
presentation & breakdown
The Inuit are not a homogenized group of people.
Angakkuit uses specialized terminology in its Different regions have their own stories, customs,
rules. Any game-specific terms are capitalized and traditions, and beliefs. This game simplifies things
italicized to bring attention to them. Key rule points for the sake of playability, while striving to be
are bolded to make them stand out on the page. respectful of Inuit culture. Angakkuit should not
Examples are presented in blue text. Sidebars and be taken as a work of scholarship. It is simply a
call out boxes provide information that is useful game. Players wanting to dive into the setting more
but not integral to the game. accurately, with their own research, are encouraged
to do so.
The next four chapters are intended for Game
Masters and players alike. They present a brief
overview of the setting, a system for character
generation, the basic mechanics of the game, and
detailed rules for fighting monsters and other
foes. The final three chapters are intended for the
Game Master only. They provide information on
the monsters of the north, game mastering advice,
and a sample adventure to introduce players to the
world of Angakkuit.

Angakkuit is both the title of the game and the role

 7

setting Chapter Two

Angakkuit is defined by its setting. The game form with the arrival of summer and can ensnare
takes place in Nunavut, Canada’s northern most travelers and make movement difficult.
territory. It is a harsh and unforgiving climate where
only the hardiest survive. Blizzards and sudden Nunavut is north of the tree line, where the
snowstorms impede travel and swallow the unwary. environment is so harsh that only the most tenacious
Hypothermia, dehydration, and frostbite must be of plant life can thrive, and certainly not any trees.
guarded against. Communities and settlements are The permafrost, short summers, and strong winds
few and far between. In Angakkuit, the environment largely preclude the growth of vegetation. However,
is as much a threat as any monster the characters lichen, mosses, grasses, shrubs, and quick growing
will face. wildflowers grow in the warmer months. The
winds are so strong and the ground so frozen that
taller plants cannot exist. Only plant life that hugs
environment the ground has any chance of survival.

Arctic tundra covers much of Nunavut. Fierce Many animals reside in the arctic year-round.
winds and snow blast across frozen, desolate These include arctic foxes, arctic hares, snowy owls,
plains. In some areas, particularly in the northern arctic wolves, polar bears, and musk oxen, as well
most parts of Nunavut, the landscape is dotted with as marine mammals such as walruses and various
mountains. Glaciers can be found in mountainous types of whales and seals. Lemmings and insects,
regions and along the shoreline of many islands. especially mosquitoes, awaken during the summer
months and go about their business. Caribou and
Approaching the summer months of June through birds (geese, ducks, loons and sparrows) migrate
August, daylight gradually takes up more and from the south at this time, staying only for the
more of the nighttime hours. This culminates warm season.
with the summer solstice, on June 21st, which has
weak sunshine all hours of the night. During the
height of summer, temperatures typically range geography & demographics
from 30°F to 60°F. Winter lasts from September to
May and temperatures are always below freezing, Nunavut has a population of only 37,000, spread
getting as low as -40°F. Snow and winds dominate over an area the size of Western Europe. Manitoba
the landscape throughout the winter season. In borders mainland Nunavut to the south and
some parts of Nunavut, the sun doesn’t come up Quebec lies to the east, across the Hudson Bay. The
at all in midwinter and the season is marked with Northwest Territories border Nunavut to the west
unrelenting gloom. The winter solstice, or shortest and southwest.
day of the year, takes place in late December.
Nunavut consists of three regions: Qikiqtaaluk,
The ground always has a layer of permafrost, or Kitikmeot, and Kivalliq. Qikiqtaaluk is largely
frozen subsoil, because the summers are so short. unconnected to the Canadian mainland, consisting
In the summer, the ground is soggy from melting primarily of the Canadian Archipelago, a collection
snow as the permafrost keeps it from being of more than 36,000 islands. These islands are spread
absorbed deep into the soil. Shallow ponds and across 550,000 square miles. Most are small and
lakes are formed during the thaw. unremarkable. Baffin Island is a notable exception.

In the winter, snowstorms and blizzards make The Hudson Strait separates Baffin Island from
traveling arduous and lowers visibility as powerful northern Quebec. The island is 195,928 square miles
winds blow the snow from place to place. In in size and has a population of around 11,000. Most
mountainous regions, the strong arctic winds cause of Baffin Island’s population resides in Iqualuit,
occasional avalanches. Summer poses risks as well, the island’s largest city and the capital of Nunavut.
but they are fewer and less threatening. Marshes Other, smaller communities exist along the coasts,
8

but much of the island is unspoiled by civilization.

Other than Victoria Island and King William Island, which have
populations of around 1,500 each, the other islands in the archipelago are
fairly desolate. Their populations number from zero to a few hundred.

Modern amenities are lacking in the smaller communities; municipal

services are non-existent and a single satellite phone might serve an entire
town. These settlements will only have a few communal structures, such
as a general store and church. However, each community will at least
have one school due to government requirements. In smaller settlements,
Language housing might be provided and maintained by the government as well.
Due to the high unemployment rate, it is not uncommon for multiple
Inuktitut is the official language of generations to live under the same roof. Healthcare is provided by local
Nunavut and the primary language health centers and doctors who fly in a few times each year. Supplies are
of the Inuit, though nearly all Inuit restocked on an annual basis by airdrop or sealift. However, the high
speak English and many living in cost of modern food, notably the cost to import fruits and vegetables,
the eastern parts of Nunavut speak means that many Inuit supplement their diet by hunting sea and land
Quebec French as well. Inuktitut animals. This is especially true in more isolated communities.
is traditionally a syllabic writing
system, where symbols stand in for Larger towns will have Internet service, electricity, municipal water
syllables. However, Inuktitut is just and other aspects of modern life. A hotel, restaurant, police station, etc.
as often written in Latin script. are not uncommon. More sizeable communities will also have a more
diverse range of ethnicities, but the majority of the population will still
be Inuit.

Playing in the Past

Angakkuit is set in the modern era.

This provides context for the players
as their characters move from the
known world into the unknown,
traversing a land largely untouched
by modernization. Setting the game
in the here and now also means that
players won’t require knowledge
of Inuit folktales to play the game;
they will learn of them as their
characters do. While this can be
helpful,, there is also no reason the
game could not be set in the past,
whether decades ago or centuries
passed. Simply providing players
with a few pages of pre- game Inuit
lore could allow for believable
characters from virtually any time
period.
 9

characters Chapter Three

Role-playing is collaborative storytelling. The be as deadly as any monster.

Game Master (GM) creates the framework of the
tale, and each player constructs a protagonist. The The characters are not alone in their struggle. A
player characters (PCs) shape the manner in which wise and powerful angakkuq (the singular form of
the story unfolds. They are not a passive audience angakkuit) guides their journey. He is known simply
to the Game Master’s story, but rather are active as Ilisaiji, or teacher. It is his sacred duty to pass his
participants. They have no script to follow, instead wisdom down to the player characters and prepare
reacting to events and situations as they see fit. them for the challenges they will face. Sadly, Ilisaiji
is an old man and his time in this world is soon to
end. He has much wisdom to impart and little time
shadows across the snow to do so.

In the frozen north of the Canadian Arctic, ancient

horrors prowl the tundra. They are the monsters and traits
bogeymen of Inuit folktales. They prey upon small,
unwary communities isolated from the world-at- Player characters are defined by a series of traits.
large, the remote and unforgiving environment Assigning values to these traits showcases a
providing cover for their activities. Fortunately, character’s strengths. There are three categories of
their presence has not gone unnoticed by all. traits: Attributes, Abilities, and Derived Traits.

The player characters stand in opposition to this

threat. In time, the PCs will be great angakkuit, attributes
shamans of the Inuit, but their journey is only
beginning. They have much to learn and do before Attributes are the innate qualities possessed by every
their initiation is complete. character in the game. There are four Attributes in
all:
The player characters hunt the monsters across the
Arctic wasteland. They track the creatures across • Awareness: This is the measure of a
mountain ranges and desolate tundra. They scour character’s perception and wits. This
small settlements and cities. Wherever the shadows Attribute reveals how alert a character is to
fall across the snow, the player characters follow. the surrounding environment, and covers
The characters’ calling is not an easy one. In addition attention to detail and the ability to think
to the monsters of the north, they must contend quickly while under pressure. It is also
with the environment. Winter brings the threat of used in social situations to read a subject’s
blizzards and snowstorms as well as hypothermia body language in order to persuade or
and frostbite. Deep snow makes travel difficult and intimidate.
thin ice, avalanches, and other natural hazards can
• Quickness: This is the measure of a
character’s reflexes and nimbleness. This
Attribute also represents a character’s
Nature and the Supernatural coordination, reflexes, agility, and manual
dexterity.
Traditional Inuit beliefs hold no
distinction between nature and the • Strength: This is the measure of a character’s
supernatural. Monsters are as much a physical wellbeing. This Attribute covers a
part of creation as humans, caribou, the character’s brawn, stamina, and fortitude.
sky, and anything else. They are simply
a more unusual, rare, and less understood • Wisdom: This is the measure of a character’s
aspect of nature. intelligence. This Attribute represents a
10

Modern Abilities character’s accrued knowledge as well as the capacity to reason

and draw conclusions.
The game focuses on Abilities that
are useful in the setting and fit with Each Attribute is linked to a card suit.
Ilisaiji’s traditionalist worldview.
Modern Abilities, those the • Awareness is linked to diamonds (♦)
character may have learned prior • Quickness is linked to spades (♠)
to heeding the Land’s call, are not • Strength is linked to clubs (♣)
included among the twenty basic • Wisdom is linked to hearts (♥)
Abilities. However, a player may
assign his character a few modern All Attributes are assigned a numerical rank from 1 to 5, and each
Abilities, provided he sacrifices an character has 10 points to spread among the four Attributes. When
equal number of basic Abilities. attempting any action, a player draws a number of cards equal to her
Some common modern Abilities character’s appropriate Attribute. Therefore, the higher the Attribute
include Mechanics, Firearms, and rank, the better.
Computers, though a player may
assign or invent any talent or skill
that fits the character’s background abilities
(with the Game Master’s consent).
Abilities are the skills and talents possessed by all characters, taught or
Like the twenty basic Abilities, honed by their mentor, Ilisaiji. There are twenty Abilities in all and each
modern Abilities are governed by a is governed by an Attribute.
specific Attribute. While the Game
Master determines the governing Awareness Abilities
Attribute, the player decides which
of his basic Abilities he wants to • Bow: Using a bow for hunting and fighting.
forfeit as long as it is governed by • Influence: Persuading or intimidating a person.
the same Attribute. For example, • Observation: Noting the little details in one’s surroundings.
if a player wants to add a modern • Navigation: Moving across the landscape, guided by bird
Ability that the GM decides is patterns, the stars, etc.
governed by Awareness, the player • Tracking: Following the path of a person, animal, or monster.
has to sacrifice a basic Ability
governed by Awareness. At the end Quickness Abilities
of character creation, each Attribute
must govern exactly five Abilities. • Bola: Using a bola to entangle a target’s legs.
• Evasion: Dodging incoming attacks and environmental
obstacles.
Valuable Abilities • Knife: Using a knife for hunting and fighting.
• Punch/Kick: Engaging in hand-to-hand fighting
Since Angakkuit is a game about • Tackling: Using one’s weight and momentum to tackle a person,
monster hunting, fighting and animal, or monster.
tracking Abilities may seem to
be the most important. This is Strength Abilities
far from accurate. Crafts is used
to build shelters and repair • Athletics (Land): Climbing, running, and jumping.
traditional weapons while Influence • Athletics (Water): Swimming and boating (including
and Observation are useful for kayaking).
conducting investigations. Tales • Endurance: Resisting fatigue, injury, and the elements.
and Songs provides knowledge • Grappling: Placing a target in a wrestling hold.
and spiritual insight. Endurance • Harpoon/Spear: Using a harpoon or spear for hunting and
and Navigation enable characters fighting.
to survive the harsh environment.
Players who focus solely on fighting Wisdom Abilities
will find themselves unable to
handle the other obstacles likely to • Crafts: Building and repairing kayaks, sleds, and weapons from
surface during play.
 11

driftwood and animal parts (such as bones, When using secondary Abilities, the player counts
sinew, and antlers). any cards matching the Attribute’s linked suit as a
• Dog Handling: Controlling dogs for success as well as the two jokers.
hunting, sledding, fighting, etc.
• Healing: Staving off disease, suturing For example: A character with a Quickness (spades)
wounds, etc. of 2 draws two cards, the Jack of spades (J♠) and the
• Tales and Songs: Knowledge of Inuit King of diamonds (K♦). He has earned one success
legends and the means of interacting with (for the J♠ but not the K♦).
spirits, including banishing harmful ones
and calling upon helpful spirits for aide. When using tertiary Abilities, the player only counts
• Visions: Interpreting dreams to gain special numbered cards (with Aces counted as ones) that
insight into a problem at hand. match the Attribute’s linked suit as successes, as
well as the two jokers.
Since every player character has studied under
Ilisaiji, each has the same twenty Abilities. For example: A character with a Quickness (spades)
Differentiation between player characters comes of 2 draws two cards, the Jack of spades (J♠) and
from the prioritization of these Abilities; different the King of diamonds (K♦). He has earned no
characters will excel at different Abilities. Players successes.
choose five Abilities to classify as primary and
five as secondary; the remaining ten Abilities are When drawing cards to determine an action’s
classified as tertiary. No numbers are assigned to success or failure, players are only looking at the
these traits. Characters are most skilled in their suit and rank of the cards. No math is involved.
primary Abilities, followed by their secondary This moves play along quickly.
Abilities and lastly their tertiary Abilities.

While Attributes determine how many cards a derived traits

player draws for an action, the prioritization of
Abilities determines how the cards are interpreted. Characters possess three Derived Traits, so named
because they are derived from Attribute rankings.
When using primary Abilities, the player counts These three traits are: Favor, Health and Initiative.
any cards matching the Attribute’s linked suit as
a success as well as the two jokers and the nine
face cards from the other three suits. Aces count as favor
ones.
Favor represents a character’s connection to the
For example: A character with a Quickness (spades) spirits of the Land. In game terms, Favor is a pool of
of 2 draws two cards, the Jack of spades (J♠) and points spent to retry actions after they have failed.
the King of diamonds (K♦). He has earned two It’s also used to call upon helpful spirits in times
successes. of need. Favor points are hard to replenish, so they

The Role of Angakkuit

In traditional Inuit culture, the angakkuq was akin to a shaman. Some angakkuit were chosen
to walk this path by another angakkuq who sensed their inherent power. Some were initiated
through dreams or guided by the spirits of their ancestors. Angakkuit were greatly respected
for their wisdom. They served as counselors, healers, and mediators in Inuit communities. They
also acted as intermediaries with the spirits, who they placated when taboos were broken or
called upon when the community was in peril.

As fledgling angakkuit, Ilisaiji expects the player characters to fulfill the traditional duties of
their calling. While their most pressing task is dealing with the monsters that threaten the Land,
the characters must also help any person or community in need, even when the otherworldly is
not involved. The role of angakkuq is not limited to monster hunter.
12

The Chosen should be spent cautiously. Favor is determined by multiplying a

character’s Wisdom rank by 2. This number represents the character’s
As darkness descends across the starting and maximum pool of Favor points.
frozen north, the Land calls out
for help. It seeks worthy men and
women to challenge the shadows health
that fall across the snow. If power
resides in an individual, everything Health is the physical wellness of the character, i.e. how much harm she
else is inconsequential. Therefore, can endure. Health is determined by multiplying a character’s Strength
it is not mandatory that player rank by 5. Therefore, starting and maximum Health ranges from 5 to 25.
characters be Inuit, though that is This decreases when a character is hurt or sick and is restored through
the default assumption. Gender rest and healing.
is also unimportant. While most
angakkuit were typically male,
there is no forbiddance of female initiative
angakkuit. If one is chosen to walk
the path of power, race and gender Initiative determines who acts first in a fight. Initiative is determined
do not matter. The Land chooses by adding Quickness and Awareness. Initiative is also a pool of points
whom the Land chooses. that characters can spend from to gain an extra attack in the same round.
Initiative is earned back slowly, so characters have to be cautious of
spending too many points in a single fight.

Religious Beliefs
weapons
In centuries past, the Inuit held
animistic beliefs. They believed The monsters of the Arctic are dark aspects of nature, but like all things
that all things, both animate and they are of the Land. In fact, their connection to the Land runs deep, even
inanimate, were alive. The Land if the bond is cancerous. For this reason, the shadows across the snow
spoke to the Inuit. This changed are most greatly harmed by weapons made from the Land’s bounty;
with the coming of Europeans and modern weapons do minimal damage. Bows made from driftwood,
the advent of modernization. 90% antlers, and animal guts inflict more injury than do modern compound
of today’s Inuit define themselves as bows. Knives fashioned from bone or ivory are much more effective
Christian. Most others practice one than steel. For these reason, the player characters will want to arm
of the world’s other major faiths. themselves with archaic weapons.
While many Inuit enjoy the old
stories, very few actually believe in Characters are free to use modern weaponry, though it is largely
them. ineffectual against the monsters in the game. Modern weapons inflict
no more damage than a punch or kick. Of course, this only applies to the
Players should give some thought otherworldly creatures in the game; modern weaponry is as effective on
to their characters’ religious beliefs. animals and humans as expected.
Does he practice one of the major
world religions or adhere to ancient Every character carries a knife and a bola. Due to the difficulty of
Inuit principles? Of course, there traversing the Arctic, especially in winter and often by foot, each
is no reason a character cannot character can only carry one large weapon. The choices for large
be agnostic or atheist. She could weapon are bow, spear, or harpoon. From a damage standpoint, there
rationalize the monsters as lost is no difference between these weapons. The distinction lies only in the
species or something else that fits Attribute governing the Abilities tied to each weapon. Of course, if a
her worldview. It’s also possible player wants his character to travel lighter, she is not obligated to choose
for a character’s religious outlook a large weapon. Alternately, she could substitute a rifle or shotgun for
to change over the course of the the more traditional weaponry.
game. Confronting monsters can
lead to discovering or rediscovering Weapons are used for more than fighting monsters. They are tools for
faith. As more and more of the survival. Characters may find themselves far from civilization, and
old folktales turn out to be true, weapons are necessary for hunting and skinning wild animals as well
a character may even adopt the as making clothes and tents.
animistic beliefs of her ancestors.
 13

Worldview
A player should decide how his character interacts with the modern world. Is he a traditionalist,
holding onto the old ways and beliefs or a modernist who believes that the old ways are best
left in the past? Perhaps he is a moderate, vacillating between the other two worldviews as best
suits him.

A traditionalist believes the Inuit should only live as their ancestors did. Clothes and tents are
fashioned from caribou hides. Modern housing is anathema. Food is hunted for, not purchased
at a general store. The traditionalist believes that living as the ancients did more deeply connects
him to the Land.

A modern worldview believes that the old ways of living must give way to new and better
advancements. Traditional approaches are only employed when absolutely necessary, e.g. using
traditional weapons instead of modern armaments against the monsters of the north.

Like the traditionalist, the holder of a moderate worldview believes that the old ways are
important. However, she does not believe in absolutes. The moderate adheres to the old ways
when necessary, but also employs modern tools when they are more beneficial. For instance, a
character with a moderate viewpoint sees no reason to carve snow goggles from caribou antlers
when modern goggles offer better protection. Why hunt wild game with a bow made from
driftwood and animal guts when a compound bow does the job better?

While a character’s worldview has no mechanical bearing on the game, it helps provide definition
to a character; it shows how the character perceives the merging of his old and new lives. It also
helps determine the type of equipment a character might carry. For example, a modernist will
wear a store-bought parka while a traditionalist will wear one fashioned from caribou hide that
he likely made with his own hands.

individual Equipment possible.

• Snow Goggles. Modern snow goggles
Characters possess individual equipment beyond provide UV protection. In decades past,
their weapons. Each character will have the snow goggles were made from caribou
following equipment: antlers with small slits carved into them to
minimize snow blindness.
• Parka. Modern parkas typically have a • Snow Boots. Traditional Inuit snow boots
cotton-nylon shell with polyester or wool consist of three layers including a boot
stuffing. Traditional parkas are primarily stocking, a sealskin boot, and a fur slipper.
sewn from caribou hides, and are made in Modern snow boots are often made to
two layers. The fur on the inner layer faces work with snow pants, and have varying
the skin and the fur on the outer layer faces levels of warmth and cost.
out. • Crampons. Crampons are spikes attached
• Mittens or Gloves. Handmade mittens to the soles of boots for additional grip
are fashioned from sealskin and are often on icy surfaces. Modern crampons are
layered, while modern hand coverings made from metal while traditional Inuit
have varying levels of warmth and crampons are made from animal bone.
durability. Manual dexterity is impossible • Ceremonial Masks. These masks are made
when wearing mittens. from whalebone or driftwood and often
• Snow Pants. Modern snow pants are decorated with bird feathers. They are
constructed similarly to parkas. Traditional worn during rituals where the spirits are
Inuit snow pants are layered garments, called upon for assistance.
tailored to keep out cool air as much as • Food and other basic supplies. Modern
14

freeze dried camp food is easy to carry, but there are limitations
on where such supplies can be purchased. Small, isolated
communities that only have yearly food drops will provide
minimal options.

communal equipment
Depending on the places traveled, there may be some communal
equipment. Such equipment can vary from adventure to adventure and
is completly optional.
Looking Out of Place
• Dogs. The characters travel with a pack of five to seven dogs,
Player characters with a traditional most likely Canadian Eskimo Dogs and Northern Inuit Dogs.
worldview will dress as their They serve as guards, companions, and more. In the winter,
ancestors did, in animal hides. This they can pull sleds and help with hunting, namely locating seal
means they will sometimes look breathing holes in the ice.
out of place in the modern world, • Sled. Sleds are used to travel in winter and are pulled by dogs.
especially in a large city. All but the • Row Boat. These are used to travel from island to island.
most isolated of Inuit communities • Snowmobile. While snowmobiles are faster and more
wear reasonably modern apparel. maneuverable than dogsleds, they can carry less gear and
Traditional clothing is only used have to be oiled and refueled, which can be difficult when
to celebrate certain cultural events. traversing the Arctic for long periods of time. Also, strident
For players who don’t want to traditionalists may have a philosophical objection to traveling
attract attention to their characters, by snowmobile.
a traditional viewpoint is not the
way to go.
finishing touches
Characters are more than a series of Traits and ranks. Each should
have a distinct personality, and players should give some thought to
developing an identity for their characters. Practical details including
a character’s name, gender, age, and physical appearance must also be
considered. Most importantly, a player must decide how her character
came to follow the path of the angakkuq. Did Ilisaiji seek her out after
sensing the power within her? Was she visited by her ancestors and
Firearm Limitations guided to Ilisaiji and this new life? Was she approached by the spirits of
the Land and made wise to a wider reality? A player can choose any of
Firearms have minimal value in the the preceding ideas or come up with one of her own.
game. The damage they inflict on
the monsters is usually negligible, A player should also give some thought to his character’s previous
prolonged exposure to extreme cold life. Did he come from a modern city or a small Inuit community in
can causes malfunctions, and thick Nunavut? Did he hail from another part of Canada or elsewhere in the
mittens or gloves add an extra layer world? What was his occupation before dedicating himself to his new
of complication. However, when calling? What about family and friends? Who is the character leaving
it comes to hunting wild game or behind as he embarks on this new life? Does he stay in contact with
defending oneself from a mortal family and friends between adventures? A player can also create a few
threat, firearms are extremely brief anecdotes for his character. Interesting or amusing stories can really
useful. breathe life into a character. Each anecdote needs only be a paragraph or
two, though players are welcome to craft lengthier biographies.

Character generation is only a starting place and skeleton to build

upon. Over time, the characters will likely take on lives of their own
as the players react to the situations unfolding around them. With this
in mind, there is no requirement to create a detailed background for
 15

Inuit Naming
Traditional Inuit naming was a diverse affair. A newborn could be named after a relative,
an esteemed elder, an animal, a plant, a body part or anything else. Names were often given
to reflect a child’s disposition or appearance at birth. Other times, a poetic choice was made,
naming a child after the moon or a star in the night sky. Many times, a child was named after an
ancestor or other respected community member. This both honored the individual from whom
the name was chosen and invited the spirits to look favorably upon the child. Inuit names were
usually gender neutral.

When European missionaries came to the region, they had difficulty pronouncing Inuit names,
and proceeded to rechristen many individuals. Most often, they would choose a biblical name
for an individual, such as James or John or Ruth. Sometimes, the new name was a Romanized
version of the original Inuit name to make it easier to pronounce. Other Inuit names were
truncated to make pronunciation easier.

With the governmental resettlement of many northern Inuit and the creep of modernization,
surnames became a part of Inuit culture. Traditional names often became surnames as Christian
first names were adopted.

Inuit Names
Among the modern Inuit, Christian first names and European surnames are common. However,
many of the traditional names live on as last names, and some Inuit still maintain a traditional
first name from their native tongue.

Below is a list of Inuit names that can be used as first names or surnames for characters:

Aggaak, Allu, Aniqmiuq, Annogaq, Aputik, Arnaquq, Arvaaluk, Aupaqtuq, Inusiq, Iji, Ipeelee,
Iqaluk, Iyerak, Katak, Kenojuak, Kiguti, Kimalu, Kiujuq, Lutaaq, Maatu, Malittuq, Mamayaook,
Meeka, Malivik, Najjuk, Nirjut, Nulijaut, Olayuk, Palluq, Pauta, Pillataq, Qamaniq, Qaniq,
Qanniqtuq, Qauq, Qiilabaq, Saila, Savik, Singirniq, Suu, Suluk, Tagak, Taliq, Taqqiq, Taqtu,
Tumiit, Ullaaq, Unnuksaq, Uummati, Uvavnuk

A player can choose a modern first and last name for her character, forgoing any traditional
names. Alternately, she could pair a modern name with a traditional Inuit name, or choose two
traditional names.

a character in advance of play. Players are free to Experience Points are spent as follows:
breeze through character creation, and fill in the
background details during play. A character can • 5 XP: Improve an Ability from tertiary to
be as richly detailed, or as vaguely sketched, as a secondary.
player desires. • 10 XP: Improve an Ability from secondary
to primary.
• 10 XP: Increase an Attribute by one rank.
character progression
Derived Traits increase as Attribute ranks increase.
Player characters earn Experience Points (XP) for Raising Wisdom increases Favor, raising Strength
every successful monster hunt, typically between increases Health, and raising Quickness and/or
2 and 7 XP. These Experience Points are spent to Awareness increases Initiative.
increase Attributes and Abilities. Players may spend
their XP as they accrue it, or bank it for later use.
16
 17

basic rules Chapter Four

Rules are not required for routine situations. A There are three levels of Difficulty: Average,
character can converse with an NPC or drive a Challenging, and Daunting. Most actions have an
snowmobile without invoking the rules. However, Average Difficulty.
if she is trying to win an argument with that NPC
or drive a snowmobile through a blizzard, the rules For example: A character is attempting to jump a
come into play. When the outcome of a character’s crevasse. Since it is only a few feet wide, the Game
action is uncertain, the rules are used to determine Master sets an Average Difficulty.
success or failure.
Advice for setting Difficulty levels is presented
Angakkuit uses playing cards to determine an throughout this chapter.
action’s success or failure. Jokers are kept in the
deck and Aces are counted as ones. Each player
will need his own deck of cards, as will the Game step three: ability
Master.
For every attempted action, there is usually an
During play, characters will undertake a variety of Ability that can contribute towards success. When
actions. They might track prey across the tundra, a character is attempting an action, the relevant
barter with locals, or build a shelter to survive the Ability must be determined. Doing so is usually
night. Regardless of the action, a single process an obvious, straightforward affair.
determines the success or failure of every action.
This process consists of five steps. For example: A character is attempting to jump a
crevasse. Athletics (Land) is the relevant Ability.

step One: declaration Characters may find themselves in situations

where no Ability is relevant. These rare occasions
Players are responsible for relating their characters’ are covered later in this chapter.
intended actions to the GM. These actions can be
described in the broadest sense or very specifically.
Generally, the more detailed the description, step four: attribute
without going overboard, the better.
Whenever an action is attempted, the appropriate
For example: A player character finds a crevasse Attribute must be determined. Since each Ability
blocking her path. Rather than take the extra time is linked to a specific Attribute, there is seldom any
to walk around it, the player declares her character guesswork.
is going to jump over the fissure.
For example: A character is attempting to jump a
The Game Master determines if there is a chance an crevasse. Strength is the appropriate Attribute as it
action may fail. If so, the GM sets a Difficulty level is linked to Athletics (Land).
for the action.
There may be instances when a character attempts
an action that she has no Ability in. In such a
step two: difficulty scenario, the appropriate Attribute must still be
determined. For actions involving coordination
Some actions are harder to achieve than others. and agility, Quickness is appropriate. Strength covers
Paddling a kayak through rough waters is more actions related to brawn and endurance. Actions
difficult than tracking caribou in clear weather. involving perception are governed by Awareness,
As the referee, the Game Master determines the while Wisdom is used for tests of intellect and
Difficulty of accomplishing any action. knowledge.
18

step five: drawing cards

To determine if an action is successful, a player draws a number of
A Visual Approach cards from her deck equal to the rank of the Attribute being used.

Reading a draw is quick and easy. For example: A character is attempting to jump a crevasse. Since her
Rather than adding card values, Strength rank is 3, the player draws three cards from her deck.
Angakkuit uses a visual approach.
Successes are calculated according Each Attribute is linked to a card suit:
to the Ability’s prioritization; the
higher the prioritization, the more • Awareness is linked to diamonds (♦)
types of cards counted as successes. • Quickness is linked to spades (♠)
This quick resolution system keeps • Strength is linked to clubs (♣)
the pace lively, as the game doesn’t • Wisdom is linked to hearts (♥)
get bogged down with math.
The prioritization of the Ability being used determines how the drawn
cards are interpreted.

• For primary Abilities, any numbered cards matching the

Game Master Draws Attribute’s suit are counted as successes as well as all face
cards, regardless of suit.
If a player fails to draw a success • For secondary Abilities, all cards matching the Attribute’s suit
against a Challenging or Daunting are counted as successes (numbered cards and face cards).
Difficulty, the Game Master still • For tertiary Abilities, only numbered cards matching the
draws an appropriate number of Attribute’s suit are counted as successes.
cards from his deck. While these
cards have no effect on the action’s For example: A character with a Strength of 3 is attempting to jump a
success or failure, not drawing any crevasse. The player draws three cards: a 3 of clubs (3♣), a 4 of diamonds
cards means the GM’s deck isn’t (4♦) and a King of diamonds (K♦). Since Strength is linked to the club’s
decreasing during the scene, as it suit, and the 3♣ is a numbered card, the character has earned a success.
should. As the character has Athletics (Land) as a primary Ability, the player also
gets to count all face cards as successes, regardless of suit. Therefore, the
K♦ is also counted as a success. The character has earned two successes
in total, one for the 3♣ and one for the K♦.

A Note on Favor When reading a draw, Aces are counted as ones and Jokers are counted
as successes.
If a character fails to draw a success,
and the GM draws a card of the Only one success is required for an action to succeed.
appropriate suit, the player has an
uphill battle when it comes to using The preceding rules are for actions with an Average Difficulty. Higher
Favor. A player will have to spend Difficulty levels have an extra twist.
multiple Favor as she will need
two successes, one to counteract • For Challenging Difficulties, the Game Master draws one card
the GM’s draw and another for the from his deck. If the GM’s card matches the PC’s Attribute suit,
action to succeed. one success is subtracted from the player’s total successes.
• For Daunting Difficulties, the Game Master draws two
cards from his deck. For every card that matches the PC’s
Attribute suit, one success is subtracted from the player’s total
successes.

For the Game Master, it doesn’t matter if the draw is a face card or a
numbered card. All cards matching the Attribute’s suit subtract successes
from a character’s action.
 19

After the GM’s draw is counted against the

player’s successes, the player must have at least
favor
one success remaining or the action has failed. Some actions are more consequential than others.
For example, escaping an avalanche is more
For example: After jumping over the crevasse, a important than winning an argument. In some
character makes her way to the shore, gets in her cases, failure can be a tremendous setback, if not
kayak, and paddles away from the glacier. Since outright devastating. When a character’s action
the winds are whipping about, and the water fails, she can spend Favor to draw an extra card.
is extremely choppy, the GM sets a Challenging
Difficulty for this action. The player draws three The decision to spend Favor can be done before or
cards, a total equal to her character’s Strength after the Game Master’s draw.
rank. The results are 9♣, J♣, and J♠. With Athletics
(Water) as a secondary Ability, the player counts For example: After dragging her kayak onto land,
the 9♣ and J♣ as successes. However, since the the character discovers some damage to the boat.
Difficulty is Challenging, the Game Master draws one With Wisdom and Crafts, she attempts a repair.
card to count against the player’s draw. The GM Unfortunately, the action fails. Since the character
draws a 7♣. Since this matches the suit linked to doesn’t want to be stranded, she opts to spend one
the character’s Attribute, one success is subtracted point of Favor to draw an extra card.
from the player’s total. Since the player scored two
successes, losing one does not cause the action to After spending a point of Favor, and drawing an
fail. extra card, an action may still fail. At this point, a
player can accept defeat or spend another point of
If a player draws a Joker, an action is automatically Favor. For any single action, a player can spend a
successful, regardless of Difficulty; the GM’s draw maximum amount of Favor equal to the character’s
does not count against the player’s success total Wisdom rank.
when a joker is in play. This benefit does not apply
in reverse. A Joker drawn by the Game Master has Characters should be judicious with spending Favor,
no effect and will not count against the player’s as it does not replenish easily. Rules for replenishing
successes. Favor are covered later in this chapter.
20

Favor has other uses in the game. These will be covered later in this
chapter and the following chapter.

drawing the ace

Characters can succeed at an action but incur an unexpected complication.
If one of the player’s successes is an ace, the action succeeds but
something unexpected happens. The exact nature of the complication
is up to the GM. However, it doesn’t undo the character’s success or
derail the adventure; it merely makes things more interesting.
Rules Summary
For example: After snooping for hours, the character finds the missing
• The player declares what her diary hidden beneath a loose floorboard. However, at the moment
character is attempting to do. of success, she hears the unlocking of the front door. The owner has
• The Game Master sets the returned home early.
Difficulty for the action.
• The Attribute and Ability most For example: A falling character grabs a hold of a ledge, saving himself
appropriate to the action is from certain death. However, he loses the grip on his knife, which
determined. tumbles to the rocks below.
• The player draws a number of
cards equal to his character’s Drawing an ace presents a new story element or unexpected twist. It
Attribute. doesn’t negate success or overly harm a character. The Game Master
• The prioritization of the must keep this in mind when inventing a complication.
character’s Ability determines
which cards as counted as
successes. succesive attempts
• If the Difficulty is Challenging
or Daunting, the GM draws one When an action fails, with or without spending Favor, characters may be
or two cards to count against able to try again. This is entirely at the GM’s discretion with commonsense
the player’s successes. as the best guide. If a character has the requisite Ability, and time is
• In an action fails, Favor can be not a factor, he should be allowed another go at it. For example, if a
spent to draw additional cards. character fell during a rock climb, the Game Master should allow him
to immediately try again, provided the fall did not inflict serious injury.
Alternately, the GM can allow a second attempt, but declare that some
time must pass before this can happen. For example, if a character is lost
in the mountains, she could try using Navigation again later in the day,
after she has had a chance to regain her bearings. Of course, there are
times when a second attempt cannot be made. If the character is trying
to catch an arctic fox with her bola and misses, she won’t get another
opportunity.

scenes
A scene is a unit or division within the story, occurring at a single
location. It can consist of one action or several. Beyond any narrative
concerns, scenes have an importance to the rules of Angakkuit.

After each action, the cards drawn by a player are put aside rather
than reinserted into the deck. Cards are only reinserted after a scene
concludes. In scenes where each character has no more than one action,
this has little significance. For longer scenes, comprised of multiple
actions, the importance is far greater. If a character undertakes multiple
actions in a scene, the player’s deck dwindles as the scene progresses.
 21

Obviously, this means the odds of drawing

successes are changing as cards are discarded and
A Running Jump
put aside. Players should be cognizant of this. If a
player draws a string of successful cards for his first A running jump is an Athletics action,
two or three actions in a scene, subsequent actions and the distance involved determines the
will become harder as there are fewer cards in the Difficulty. Jumping ten feet or less is an
deck that can be counted as successes. Of course, Average Difficulty, ten to twenty feet is
the opposite is true if the player has a series of bad Challenging, and twenty to twenty-five
draws to start off the encounter. feet is Daunting. Jumps beyond twenty-
five feet are not possible. A running jump
In most scenes, each character is likely to undertake assumes the character has at least ten feet
at least one action. If the Difficulties for these actions of running room. Otherwise, Difficulties
are Challenging or Daunting, the Game Master increase by one rank. Certain surfaces
draws cards against each character’s action. In such may offer poor traction, which can also
instances, the GM’s deck will shrink at a far greater raise the Difficulty.
rate than the players’ decks.

At anytime during a scene, a player can spend a

Favor to reinsert all the drawn cards into the deck. the thing chasing her. The Game Master increases
As Favor is difficult to earn, this should only be the Difficulty to Challenging.
done when absolutely necessary, i.e. during scenes
of great importance after many individual actions For example: A character has to swim many miles
have whittled down the deck size. between two islands. Due to the strength and
stamina required for such a feat, the Game Master
Whenever cards are reinserted into a deck, at a increases the Difficulty to Challenging.
scene’s conclusion or with the expenditure of Favor,
the deck needs to be reshuffled. Environmental conditions can also increase the
Difficulty.

common actions For example: Strong winds are hampering a

character’s climb up a vertical rock face. The Game
Characters will attempt a variety of actions. While Master increases the Difficulty to Challenging.
it is impossible to provide guidelines for every
situation, the actions most likely to come into play For example: A recent snowfall has made movement
are detailed over the next few pages, along with sluggish. Running through a foot of snow increases
suggestions for setting Difficulties. the Difficulty to Challenging.

Daunting Difficulties should be rare and reserved

athletics for the most tasking of physical challenges.

Characters will engage in a number of actions For example: A character is kayaking through a field
involving physical prowess. They may have of drift ice when a snowstorm strikes from out of
to outrun a predator or jump from a crashing nowhere. Under normal circumstances, navigating
snowmobile. They may have to stave off fatigue or the ice field would be Challenging; doing so during a
climb a mountainside. For such actions, Athletics is snowstorm, with fierce winds and limited visibility,
always the appropriate Ability. is Daunting.

An Average Difficulty covers most actions Injury and death can result from failed Athletics
involving Athletics. However, when the human actions. Tumbling from a great height or falling into
body is pushed further than normal, especially in subzero waters can be catastrophic. Therefore, the
a short span of time, the Difficulty can increase to Game Master shouldn’t confront characters with
Challenging. too many Daunting Difficulties. The idea is to test
the characters and present obstacles for them to
For example: A character has only seconds to reach overcome, not to kill them anticlimactically with a
the door and slam it shut before being overtaken by poor card draw.
22

construction and repair

Crafts is used to construct and repair objects using natural materials. This
includes building and repairing sleds, weapons, boats, tents, clothing,
and more. It also includes the construction of igluvijaq, commonly
referred to as igloos.

Characters will need to make use of the supplies available to them,

which are few. Animals provide most of the raw materials; their bones,
ivory, antlers, skin and blubber are used for clothing, tents, weapons,
sleds, and boats. Driftwood is also useful, but its scarcity makes it a less
common Crafts component.

A Note on Crafts Most actions involving Crafts carry an Average Difficulty. Time
constraints, such as hurriedly building an igloo before a blizzard’s
Crafts is used to fashion and repair arrival, can increase the Difficulty to Challenging or Daunting.
any hand-made item. With the ex-
ception of tents and clothing, Crafts
cannot be used to repair modern, dog handling
manufactured items. Doing so re-
quires a modern Repair Ability. Dogs can aid characters in many ways. They help with hunting and can
locate seal breathing holes for fishing. They can also pull a sled, guard a
campsite, or help in a fight.

It is assumed that any dogs among the characters are already trained
and loyal. Therefore, basic commands seldom require invoking the rules.
When the Game Master determines that commands or expectations
are beyond the norm, a Difficulty of Average or Challenging may be
appropriate.

For example: A trek between settlements usually takes ten hours by dog
sled. Unfortunately, the characters have to make the journey in only
Building an Igloo eight hours. The Game Master sets a Difficulty of Average to do so.

An igloo can be constructed in a For example: A character is trying to get one of the dogs to turn on a
few hours. If properly built, it can seemingly friendly NPC. The Game Master decides that commanding
maintain an interior temperature the dog to attack an otherwise friendly face is a Challenging Difficulty.
of 25°F to 60°F. Proper construction
includes melting the interior walls Daunting Difficulties are extremely rare. They only come into play for
to create a thick sheet of ice for commands contrary to a dog’s nature. Facing certain death, such as
insulation, using snow to mortar asking a dog to leap off of a high cliff to the rapids below, would indicate
any cracks that might allow cold air such a Difficulty level.
inside, and constructing the igloo
dome over a ditch or hole in the
ground for extra warmth. A window folklore and traditions
made of thick ice can be installed,
which will reflect sunlight and help Knowing the folklore and traditions of the Inuit is extremely useful.
keep the structure warm and better Using Tales and Songs, characters can identify the manner of monster
lit during the day. they are facing, will know how to appease the spirits, and will have a
working knowledge of traditional Inuit customs, rituals, and taboos.

The Difficulty for recalling a certain folktale or custom is largely at

the Game Master’s discretion; as a general rule of thumb, the rarer the
information, the higher the Difficulty. For example, knowing how to
conduct a traditional Inuit burial would only carry an Average Difficulty
 23

while being aware of the folklore surrounding a If the action fails, the character regains no Health.
monster might be Challenging. Successive attempts may be made once per day by
each potential healer until the action is successful.
Once the action is successful, the character recovers
healing Health at a rate determined by her Endurance rank.

Characters can get hurt in a variety of ways. Attacks,

falls, exposure, and other hazards can injury a
character, lowering Health.

Every PC has a Health score ranging from 5 to 25.

When a character suffers bodily harm, the game
reflects this by lowering the character’s Health
rank. Should Health ever drop to 0, the character
is unconscious; subsequent damage kills.

Sometimes rest is all that is required for a character

to heal. Other times, the Healing Ability is the only
way to recover lost Health. In dire situations, Healing
is necessary to stave off death.

For the purposes of Healing, there are two degrees For example: A character with an Endurance of 2 has
of injury: Bruised and Battered. lost 5 Health. She will recover 1 Health every four
days, and be fully healed in twenty days.
A character is considered Bruised when he has lost
up to 20% of his maximum Health. For example: A character with an Endurance of 4 has
lost 15 Health. She will recover 1 Health every two
For example: A character has lost 1 Health from his days and be fully healed in thirty days.
maximum of 5. As this is 20% of his total Health, he
is considered Bruised. If a character’s Health is reduced to 0, she is
unconscious. If a character with a positive Health
For example: A character has lost 2 Health from his score suffers injury that would result in a negative
maximum of 15. As this is less than 20% of his total number, Health is only reduced to 0; there is no
Health, he is considered Bruised. negative Health rank.

A Bruised character heals all lost Health with one For example: A character with a current Health of 2
day of rest. No Healing action is required. loses 5 additional Health. The character’s Health is
reduced to 0, and the character is unconscious.
If a character has lost more than 20% of his Health,
he is considered Battered. For a character with 0 Health, the Difficulty for any
Healing action increases to Challenging.
For example: A character has lost 7 Health from his
maximum of 10. As this is more than 20% of his If an unconscious character receives additional
total Health, he is considered Battered. injury, he or she dies. Another character, PC or NPC,
can attempt a Healing action to keep the character
For example: A character loses 13 Health from his alive, but the Difficulty to do so is Daunting.
maximum of 15. Since this loss is more than 20% However, they only have 15 minutes to act before
of his total Health, the character is considered the character expires.
Battered.

The road to recovery is tougher for a Battered hunting and tracking

character. To regain lost Health, a successful
Healing draw against an Average Difficulty The Difficulty to track someone or something
must be made. The injured character, an NPC, or is dependent on how old the tracks are and the
another player character can undertake this action. surrounding environment. If the subject passed
24

through the area within the last few hours, the Difficulty is Average. If
the quarry has more than twelve hours head start on the characters, the
Difficulty is Challenging. If the trail is a more than a day old, the Difficulty
is Daunting.

The above is a baseline for the GM to begin from. Environmental

conditions can make tracking easier or harder.

Honoring the Slain For example: The characters are a day’s journey behind the creature.
Normally, the Difficulty to follow the beast would be Challenging.
When an animal is hunted and However, since it hasn’t snowed for days and there has been no wind
killed, it must be suitably honored. to speak off, the tracks are clearly visible across the snow. With this in
To do otherwise invites tragedy. A mind, the Game Master lowers the Difficulty to Average.
ritual is performed and the animal’s
spirit is thanked for its sacrifice. For example: The characters are tracking a creature that passed through
This is a Tales and Songs action with the area just a few hours ago. Normally, the Difficulty to do so would
an Average Difficulty. If the action be Average. However, since the tracks lead through marshland, they
fails, the GM draws a card from are harder to follow. The Game Master increases the Difficulty to
his deck. If the card is a face card Challenging.
from the hearts suit (the suit linked
to Wisdom), the animal returns as Tracking a subject in a small settlement, town, or city is largely the
an anirniq, a vengeful spirit that same as doing so outdoors. However, the environmental conditions
brings disease and bad luck. It will may change. For example, recently shoveled streets will destroy any
hound its killer until appeased. tracks the characters are following. Of course, there may be things
that make a subject easier to locate as well. For example, the smell of a
particular perfume or a crushed cigarette butt could provide evidence
that the subject passed though the area and indicate the direction she is
heading.

Hunting is essential to survival, as the characters will likely spend long

periods afar from civilization. Animals are not hunted merely for food.
Moving Quietly Their skin, blubber, and bones are used to fashion clothing, weapons,
harpoon lines, and tents. Blubber is also used as fuel for light and heat.
There are times when characters
will want to move about unseen Sea mammals are typically hunted during the winter. Besides meat and
or without making any noise. The skin, some animals provide additional valuables. Seals have warm fur,
Difficulty to do so varies according while a walrus can supply precious ivory for knives and other tools.
to the situation. If the characters Whale oil is perfect for lamps or as a source of heat. Musk oxen, arctic
have a lot of cover to operate within, hares, and arctic foxes are hunted throughout the year, and provide all
or there is a lot of background noise, manner of clothing material. During the summer, caribou and birds
the Difficulty will be Average. The migrate to the north and are hunted as well.
Difficulty increases to Challenging
if there are people in the area on In the summer, fishing is done from kayaks on open waters. In the
alert or looking for the characters. winter, fishing is only an option through holes in the ice.
Hiding in more open spaces is a
Daunting Difficulty. Evasion is the Hunting is an Average Difficulty. However, environmental conditions
applicable Ability for moving about can shift the Difficulty higher.
quietly and unseen.
For example: A character is hunting an arctic hare, which is an Average
Difficulty. However, with the snow heavily coming down, the hare’s
white fur is blending in with the surroundings, increasing the Difficulty
to Challenging.

Since fish and game are more abundant in the summer and easier to catch,
Difficulties will seldom be Challenging or Daunting in these months.
 25

navigation Challenging Difficulty.

Navigating the Arctic is a challenge, since there Daunting Difficulties are reserved for rare occasions
is little to distinguish one area from another. Vast when a concealed object is almost impossible to
plains of tundra stretch in all directions and there discover or a detail is incredibly unlikely to be
are few markers to go by. Decreased visibility from noticed.
poor weather conditions often adds an extra layer
of adversity. For example: Faced with three seemingly identical
objects, the Difficulty to determine the original
The Difficulty to navigate the Arctic depends on object from the forgeries is Daunting.
the markers available. On clear nights, the stars
can provide reasonable guidance. Navigating For example: Noticing a drop of blood on an NPC’s
by the stars is an Average Difficulty. Poor weather boot as he walks by is a Daunting Difficulty.
conditions can increase the Difficulty to Challenging
or Daunting. Environmental conditions such as snow, rain, fog
or smoke can increase Observation Difficulties.
The migration patterns of caribou and Arctic birds
can also guide characters. Identifying a migratory
route can indicate where the characters are, persuasion and intimidation
particularly if it is a well-known path. Sometimes
these routes will even be marked by inuksuit. Characters may need to coerce an NPC. Most often
this is done to gather information. However, it can
An inuksuk (pl. inuksuit) is a pile of rocks stacked also be attempted in order to win an argument
in a vaguely human shape. They are scattered or earn support. The Difficulty to intimidate
throughout the Canadian Arctic, and were used or persuade an NPC is dependent on his or her
by ancient Inuit to mark caribou migration routes. association with the player character and that
The inuksuit also served as landmarks, helping individual’s willingness to cooperate. Convincing
nomadic Inuit navigate the plains of seemingly a friend to join the character on a dangerous mission
unending tundra. is easier than convincing a stranger to do so, and
a local who is wary of outsiders is less likely to
give up information than the town gossipmonger.
observation Influence is the relevant Ability for these actions.

Observation covers everything from spotting Persuasion and intimidation only works on NPCs.
concealed objects to noticing minor details. The Forcing another player character into an action
Difficulty for actions involving Observation is or opinion robs that player of freewill and is not
based on how well an object is concealed or how permitted.
likely a detail is to be overlooked. The more well
hidden an object is, or the slighter the detail, the
higher the Difficulty. visions
For example: A character is looking for a specific For an angakkuq, a dream is not just a dream; it
book shelved amongst dozens of others. This action is the Land providing guidance. Dreams contain
has an Average Difficulty. insight that can assist characters in times of need.
However, enlightenment only comes when the
For example: A character is looking for the underlying meaning of a dream is made clear, when
concealed door into the basement. This action has a the symbolism falls away and only truth remains.
Challenging Difficulty. With Visions, characters can interpret the meanings
of their dreams.
For example: An NPC quickly turns his head to
make sure he’s not being followed. The Difficulty The Difficulty for a Visions action is always
for the player character to notice this is Average. Average. There are no Challenging or Daunting
Difficulties.
For example: Noticing that a raven’s reappearance
overhead occurs at exactly one hour intervals is a Players may opt to forgo using Visions, preferring
26

to interpret their dreams without drawing cards. This is perfectly fine

and doing so can be entertaining and rewarding. However, the rules
exist for players uninterested in figuring out riddles themselves or those
that may be stumped as to a dream’s meaning.

storytelling
Storytelling is an Inuit tradition. Tales are passed down from one
Fighting generation to the next. As fledgling angakkuit, the player characters
are expected to continue this tradition; they are tasked with sharing the
Fighting is one of the more common old tales with others so they are not forgotten. Of course, they can and
actions in Angakkuit. However, should share their own exploits in the form of colorful stories, which a
rules for this are not included in mundane audience will assume to be mere fiction.
this chapter. Fighting is slightly
more complex and has additional Storytelling can be an excellent vehicle for role-playing, allowing players
steps not found in other actions. to showcase their acting abilities. Players can have PC’s tell their tales
For this reason, it receives its own without invoking the rules. However, this approach is not for everyone.
chapter. For players who wish it, the rules exist. The Difficulty for storytelling
actions is generally Average. Only the most problematic of audiences
invoke a Challenging Difficulty, and there are no Daunting Difficulties for
storytelling.

With each telling, an old tale is born anew. This pleases the spirits. If
a character succeeds at a Storytelling action, the character earns one
Favor. However, there are three conditions that must be met. Firstly, the
audience must be unfamiliar with the tale. Secondly, the stories must
Summoning Spirits be Inuit folktales or a recounting of the player characters’ adventures.
Thirdly, Favor is only earned by sharing tales with NPCs; PCs cannot tell
There are two types of spirits in stories amongst themselves to earn Favor.
Angakkuit. Tuurngait are spirits
of the Land that can be helpful or
harmful and anirniq are the spirits unskilled actions
of things that once lived, analogous
(in part) to western ideas of ghosts. The twenty basic Abilities cover most of the common actions characters
Either type can be summoned and will engage in. However, there may be times when a character attempts
asked information of. Tales and an action for which she has no relevant Ability. In these situations,
Songs is the relevant Ability, and characters may attempt the action, but success is often harder to
the Difficulty to summon a spirit is achieve.
always Daunting. If the draw fails,
the spirit will attack the character There are two types of unskilled actions, simple and expert. A simple
that dared to disturb it. Rules for unskilled action is one a character can perform that requires little
fighting spirits are covered in specialized training or expertise. An expert action is much harder to
Chapter Five. achieve, requiring some modicum of talent. For example, library or
Internet research is a simple unskilled action, while picking a lock is an
expert one.

The Game Master should consider a character’s background when

deciding how to classify an unskilled action. For example, if a character
came from an isolated community lacking modern amenities, research
will likely be an expert unskilled action rather than a simple one. If a
character was a police officer in her prior life, jimmying an old car lock
may only be a simple unskilled action.

Attempting a simple unskilled action is treated the same as using

a tertiary Ability; only numbered cards matching the governing
 27

Attribute’s suit are counted as successes.

environmental risks
For expert unskilled actions, success is difficult The Arctic’s unforgiving environment is often the
without training, but not impossible. Performing an characters’ greatest foe. Freezing temperatures, foul
expert unskilled action is akin to using a tertiary weather, and dangerous terrain means the player
Ability, but the Difficulty is always increased by characters must always be alert and prepared.
one rank. Otherwise, they could find themselves victims of
the frozen north.
For example: A character is trying to repair a broken
radio. Normally, this would carry an Average
Difficulty, but since it is an expert unskilled action, avalanches
the Difficulty is increased to Challenging.
In mountainous regions, strong winds and melting
There are times when an action, such as rebuilding snow can cause an avalanche. This fast-moving flow
an engine, cannot be performed without a relevant is almost impossible to outrun, carrying a Difficulty
Ability. This action goes beyond the simple vs. of Daunting to do so with Athletics (Land) being the
expert classification. If a person has no idea how an relevant Ability. Early detection is the best way to
engine goes together, they can’t just wing it. In these avoid an avalanche. Recognizing the early signs of
instances, a character may use Favor. By spending an impending avalanche is an Observation draw
one point of Favor, a character may attempt an with an Average Difficulty. The impact from an
unskilled action that is normally impossible avalanche causes a loss of 20 Health. However, an
without a relevant Ability. The character is calling Endurance draw against an Average Difficulty may
upon the spirits for wisdom and guidance in an be made to resist some of the damage. For every
attempt to do the impossible. success earned, the character suffers 5 less Health
loss than normal.
When spending Favor on an impossible unskilled
action, a character receives the appropriate Ability For example: A player character earns one success
at the tertiary level. Typically, this effect lasts for when resisting the damage from an avalanche.
a single action. However, the GM can declare it to Therefore she only suffers a Health loss of 15
last for an entire scene, if so desired. (instead of 20).
28

If a character is caught in an avalanche, she will be buried alive and

will most likely suffocate. To avoid this fate, the character must make
an Endurance draw against a Daunting Difficulty to hold her breath and
an Athletics (Land) draw against a Daunting Difficulty to dig free. Both
Marshes and Bogs of these actions occur in the same scene, along with the draw to resist
damage from the avalanche.
When the snow melts in the
summer months, marshes and bogs
are formed. These pose no major crevasses
risk, but can increase Difficulties
for Tracking and actions involving Crevasses are deep cracks in glaciers. Some are only inches wide and
movement. others are more than twenty feet. Most are easily avoidable. Some,
however, are hidden by snow. Noticing a concealed crevasse is an
Observation draw against an Average Difficulty.

Crevasses are typically fifty to one hundred feet deep, so falling into one
causes Health loss. For every ten feet a character falls, 3 Health is lost.
Snow Blindness An Endurance draw against an Average Difficulty can be made to absorb
some of this damage. For every success earned, a character loses 3 less
Snow blindness is mostly a threat Health than normal.
on the tundra, where vast tracts
of ice and snow reflect ultraviolet For example: A character falls into a crevasse and drops fifty feet.
rays and can burn retinas. Goggles Normally, he would suffer a loss of 15 Health. Fortunately, his Endurance
provide protection against snow draw yields two successes, so he only loses 9 Health (3 less for each
blindness. After a few hours in success earned)
the sun, characters without snow
goggles must make an Endurance Characters can jump over crevasses rather than move around them.
check against an Average Difficulty Doing so is an Athletics (Land) action, and the Difficulty varies according
to overcome snow blindness. If this to the width of the fissure. Jumping a crevasse less than five feet wide
action fails, the Difficulties for all is an Average Difficulty, five to ten feet is Challenging, and fifteen
actions involving Quickness and to twenty feet is Daunting. Jumps beyond this distance cannot be
Awareness are increased by one attempted.
rank until nightfall.
Rules for jumping a crevasse are different than those for other running
jumps. Since crevasses occur on glaciers, traction is hard to come by,
shortening the distances a character can jump.

Thin Ice dehydration and starvation

Noticing thin ice is an Observation Characters must drink a lot of water, typically around 5 gallons per day,
draw against an Average Difficulty. to fend off dehydration in the Arctic. After one day without water, a
Failure means the unsuspecting character must make an Endurance draw against an Average Difficulty
character steps on the thin ice and to not become dehydrated. After the second day, the Difficulty increases
falls into the water below, leading to Challenging, and after the third day it increases to Daunting.
to hypothermia.
After a failed Endurance draw (or after the third day, if the character
lasted that long), 6 Health is lost per day. This continues until the
character reaches 0 Health, at which time, she is unconscious. The
following day brings death.

For example: After one day, a character makes an Endurance draw against
an Average Difficulty to resist the effects of dehydration. The player’s
draw yields one success, so there is no Health loss. After the second day,
the character makes another Endurance draw. This draw fails to produce
a success and the character suffers a loss of 6 Health. This Health loss
 29

will continue each day until the character drinks success earned, a character loses 3 less Health than
enough water or dies from dehydration. normal.

Dehydration hinders focus, reduces strength, and For example: A character stumbles on a rooftop,
sometimes spawns delirium. Characters who have falling twenty feet to the ground below. Normally,
lost Health due to dehydration make all action the character would lose 6 Health. However, since
draws against a Daunting Difficulty until they are he earned two successes on his Endurance draw, he
properly hydrated. suffers no Health loss.

Humans can survive longer without food than Short falls pose little risk. Falls from great heights
without water. A character can go without food for can kill.
a number of days equal to his Strength rank with
no ill effects. After that, a successful Endurance
draw against an Average Difficulty must be made. If frostbite
this action fails, the character loses 1 Health per day
until he receives proper nourishment or reaches 0 Characters must guard against frostbite. Any
Health and loses consciousness. Death follows the exposed flesh is at risk. Frostbite typically occurs
next day. after fifteen to thirty minutes of exposure, depending
on wind and temperature. The extremities are
For example: A character with a Strength of 3 lasts effected first as the body reroutes blood to the
three days before making an Endurance draw. This internal organs to keep them functioning. Frostbite
first draw is made against an Average Difficulty. is extremely painful. Characters must make an
Unfortunately, the player fails to earn a success Endurance draw against an Average Difficulty to
and his character loses 1 Health. His character will take any action after frostbite sets in.
continue to lose 1 Health every day until properly
nourished. After a few hours of exposure, a character must
make an Endurance draw against a Daunting
If a character succeeds with the first Endurance Difficulty to avoid losing extremities. As long as
draw, she makes another draw the next day but extremities do not turn blue and die, warming the
against a Challenging Difficulty. If this draw is skin will undo any damage caused by frostbite.
successful, a third and final draw is made the Loss of an extremity is accompanied by a loss of
following day against a Daunting Difficulty. If this 4 Health. If fingers or toes are lost to frostbite,
action is successful, the character proceeds with no characters cannot absorb the Health loss with an
ill effects. However, on the day after this draw, she Endurance draw.
automatically begins losing 1 Health per day.
Frostbite is easily avoided by dressing appropriately
For example: A character with Strength of 4 lasts for the environment.
four days before making an Endurance draw
against an Average Difficulty. The player earns two
successes and suffers no ill effects. On the following hypothermia
day, another Endurance draw is made, though the
Difficulty has increased to Challenging. This action Hypothermia occurs when the body’s core
fails to produce a success and the character loses 1 temperature drops. This is always a risk in the Arctic
Health. She will continue to lose 1 Health every day where temperatures are usually below freezing. If
until properly nourished. an unprotected character is exposed to freezing
temperatures for more than an hour, she must
If a character loses 80% of her Health to starvation, make an Endurance draw against a Challenging
she is considered impaired, and all Difficulties Difficulty. If the draw is successful, the character
increase by one. loses 3 Health every fifteen minutes. If the action
fails, the character loses 5 Health every fifteen
minutes. Frostbite accompanies hypothermia.
falling
For example: A character is caught in the elements
For every 10 feet a character falls, he loses 3 Health. unprotected. After an hour, an Endurance draw is
An Endurance draw against an Average Difficulty can made against a Challenging Difficulty. The draw fails
be made to absorb some of this damage. For every to produce any successes and the character begins
30

losing 5 Health every fifteen minutes.

If a character is properly clothed for the Arctic environment, she makes

an Endurance draw every five hours against an Average Difficulty. The
Difficulty increases to Challenging or Daunting for extreme temperatures
Storms and Strong Winds and wind chill.

Snowstorms affect visibility and Symptoms of hypothermia begin with shivering and numbness before
mobility, increasing Difficulties proceeding to hallucinations and sometimes amnesia. Resisting these
for actions involving Quickness effects is an Endurance draw against a Daunting Difficulty.
and Awareness. Medium snowfalls
increase Difficulties by one rank and Immersion in freezing water is the quickest path to hypothermia. After
heavy snows and blizzards increase a single minute in freezing water, a character must make an Endurance
Difficulties by two ranks. draw against a Daunting Difficulty. If the action fails, the character loses
5 Health for every minute spent in the water. If the draw is successful,
Strong winds will raise Difficulties the character loses 5 Health every 2 minutes. Raising a body’s core
in a variety of ways. Fierce and temperature reverses the effects of hypothermia.
raging winds blow loose snow
about, decreasing visibility. Such Characters experiencing hypothermia lose consciousness at 0 Health and
flurries cover tracks, can cause are dead within a few minutes.
a character to lose her bearings,
and make hunting more difficult.
Breathing is laborious in the face of regaining favor
strong winds. Even without snow
blowing about, strong winds make Favor is immensely valuable. It enables a second chance after failure,
using bows, spears, and harpoons can reseed a character’s deck, and it allows impossible actions to be
far less accurate. Even climbing undertaken. Therefore, a player should spend his character’s Favor
amidst fierce winds is dangerous. judiciously.

Storytelling is the primary means of regaining Favor. If a character

succeeds at a Storytelling draw, he earns one Favor. However, there
are three conditions that must be met. Firstly, the audience must be
A Starting Point unfamiliar with the tale. Secondly, the stories must be Inuit folktales
or a recounting of the player characters’ adventures. Thirdly, Favor is
Covering every possible action only earned by sharing tales with NPCs; PCs cannot tell stories amongst
and scenario is an impossible task. themselves to earn Favor.
Eventually, player characters will
attempt something not detailed Earning Favor through storytelling can only be done once per
by the rules. In these instances, adventure.
the Game Master must decide
how to resolve matters. Logic and There is another way characters earn Favor, albeit one that is random
commonsense are the best guides, and beyond their control. Every time a player draws a Joker, for any
and when in doubt, the GM should action, her character earns one Favor. The spirits are looking kindly
err on the side of the players. upon the character.

regaining initiative
Characters regain one Initiative after every fight they win. It doesn’t
matter if the battle is a clash with an ancient horror from beneath the
frozen waters or a bar fight with an ill-tempered drunk.
 31

fighting Chapter Five

There are monsters in the frozen north, and continues until the tie is broken.
the player characters are tasked with defeating
them. Sometimes this can be done through guile If a combatant has the element of surprise on her
and wisdom. Most often, it requires physical side (i.e. she has successfully ambushed her target),
confrontation. the character automatically acts first. If two or more
characters are ambushing a target, each draws a
A fight scene is divided into a series of rounds, and card and adds it to her character’s Initiative score.
each participant is allowed one or two actions per The highest result acts first, the second highest acts
round. Rounds do not last a predetermined length next, and so on down the line.
of time; they take as long as is required to resolve
an action, though three to five seconds is average.
step two: declaration
Combat is broken down into seven steps.
Once the order of action is determined, the fight
begins in earnest. Each combatant declares his or
step one: order of action her action for the round.

At the start of each round, the order in which all For example: A player declares her character is
combatants act must be determined. This includes going to lunge at the nanurluk with her spear.
the player characters and all opponents controlled
by the Game Master. At the opening of every The Game Master can rule that a player’s intended
round, each player draws one card and adds that action is impossible due to the circumstances at
card’s value to his character’s Initiative score; hand. For example, a character isn’t going to throw
the GM draws one card for each opponent she a harpoon one hundred yards and strike his target.
controls. The character with the highest result acts However, if a player’s intent is reasonably probable,
first, the character with the next highest result acts or even borderline realistic, the GM should err on
second, and so on until all combatants have had the side of the player.
a turn. For the purposes of this draw, face cards
have a value of 0. If a Joker is drawn, that character While most declarations involve attacks of one
automatically acts first. Favor may be spent to variety or the other, this doesn’t have to be the
redraw an Initiative card. case. A player can opt to delay her action, allowing
the next player in line to act, or can declare that
For example: Three player characters are facing her character is maintaining a strictly defensive
down a nanurluk, a giant polar bear. The first posture, such as running for cover or bracing for
player draws an A♣ and adds its value (1) to his an attack.
character’s Initiative score (5), producing a result of
6. The second player draws a 9♦ and adds its value
(9) to his character’s Initiative score (4), producing Human Opposition
a result of 13. The third player draws a Q♣ and
adds its value (0) to her character’s Initiative score Monsters are the primary antagonists of
(5), producing a result of 5. For the nanurluk, the the game. However, player characters
GM draws a 2♠. This value (2) is added to the can also get into fights with NPCs. These
nanurluk’s Initiative (5), producing a result of 7. The physical altercations could be the result
acting order for the first round is set. The second of a simple misunderstanding or an
PC acts first (13), the monster acts next (7), the first encounter with a belligerent NPC, eager
PC acts third (6), and the third PC acts last (5). for a fight. In some instances, a mortal
opponent may be the villain of the story,
In the event of a tie, each tying participant draws such as an angakkuq who traffics with the
an additional card and the highest result wins. This shadows across the snow.
32

step three: difficulty

Weapon Ranges Every adversary the PCs will face, human or otherwise, has a Defense
score. Defense is the base Difficulty to hit an opponent. Like other
It’s assumed that characters are Difficulties in the game, an opponent’s Defense is rated as Average,
using primitive weapons, since Challenging, or Daunting.
modern weaponry has little effect
on the monsters of Angakkuit. Human opponents always have an Average Defense. Monsters are a
These hand-made weapons have more varied affair. Larger or slower moving creatures will have an
much less range than their modern Average Defense, while smaller or quicker ones will have a Challenging
counterparts. Bows are only accurate or Daunting Defense.
up to fifty feet. Bolas, spears and
harpoons can be thrown up to For example: The nanurluk is an enormous beast, more than five times
thirty feet. Spears and harpoons the size of normal polar bear. Therefore, its Defense is Average.
can double as melee weapons and
knives can only be used in close If a character aims for a specific body part, the opponent’s Defense
quarters. increases by one degree. This can be done to inflict additional damage
or for a tactical reason, such as blinding an opponent.
Using any weapon at an unintended
range will increase an opponent’s For example: A character lunges at the nanurluk, attempting to gouge
Defense, and the GM must determine out one of its eyes with a spear. The nanurluk’s Defense is normally
if the action is even possible. Average, but increases to Challenging since the character is aiming for a
specific body part.

The rules for fighting assume normal environmental conditions and

distance. Attacks made at greater range or under poor conditions will
Bolas be made against higher Defense values.

A traditional Inuit bola is made

from animal bone and sinew. It is step four: ability
thrown at an opponent to entangle
the legs and keep the enemy from Characters can engage an enemy in hand-to-hand combat or attack
running or maneuvering. However, with a weapon. This decision determines the Ability used. Punch/Kick,
successfully tethering the legs can Grappling, and Tackling are used for hand-to-hand combat; weapon-
only be done on man-sized targets based Abilities include Bola, Bow, Harpoon/Spear, and Knife.
and smaller. Using a bola for this
purpose increases the Difficulty by For example: Since the character is attacking the nanurluk with a spear,
one degree. For example, a Defense Harpoon/Spear is clearly the governing Ability for this action.
of Average becomes Challenging. If
this action succeeds, the opponent Characters will likely fight with whatever weapons they are most skilled
falls to the ground, forfeiting its in. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. For example, if the fight
next action as it untangles its legs. is occurring in close quarters there may not be enough room to use a
bow. If the opponent is out of arms’ reach, a thrown weapon may be
A bola’s damage is done by the necessary.
impact it makes when it strikes a
foes’ body. Using a bola to simply If a character is using a makeshift weapon that is utilized in a manner
strike an enemy does not incur consistent with one of his Abilities, that Ability may be used for the
the Difficulty increase. However, attack. For example, a character attacking with a broken shard of glass
since this is not much better than can use the Knife Ability for this action.
punching damage, a bola is best
used to inhibit an opponent’s
movement. step five: attribute
There are multiple fighting Abilities in Angakkuit, based on weapon type.
The Ability used dictates the relevant Attribute.
 33

For example: A character is attacking with a spear. An Ability’s prioritization determines how the card
Strength is the appropriate Attribute for this action draw is interpreted.
as it is linked to Harpoon/Spear.
• For primary Abilities, numbered cards
If a character is using a firearm, Quickness is the matching the Attribute’s suit are counted
relevant Attribute. as successes as well as all face cards,
regardless of suit.
• For secondary Abilities, all cards that
step six: drawing cards match the Attribute’s suit are counted as
successes (numbered and face cards).
To determine if an action is successful or not, a • For tertiary Abilities, only the numbered
player draws a number of cards from her deck cards matching the Attribute’s suit are
equal to the rank of the Attribute being used. counted as successes.

For example: A character is attacking with a spear. For example: A character with a Strength of 3 attacks
Since her Strength rank is 3, the player draws three with a spear. The player draws three cards: a 5 of
cards from her deck. clubs (5♣), a 7 of clubs (7♣) and a 2 of diamonds
(2♦). Since Strength is linked to the club’s suit, and
Each Attribute is matched to a card suit: the character has Harpoon/Spear as a secondary
Ability, the player counts all club cards as successes.
• Awareness is linked to diamonds (♦) The character has earned two successes, one for the
• Quickness is linked to spades (♠) 5♣ and one for the 7♣.
• Strength is linked to clubs (♣)
• Wisdom is linked to hearts (♥) If an opponent has a Challenging Defense, the Game
34

Master draws one card to potentially offset any player successes. If an

opponent’s Defense is Daunting, the GM draws two cards. All cards
matching the attacking character’s Attribute suit subtract successes
from the character’s action. After the GM’s draw is counted against the
player’s successes, the player must have at least one success remaining
or the attack has failed.

For example: A character is attempting to stab the nanurluk in the eye

with her spear. Normally, the creature’s Defense is Average, but since
the character is aiming for a specific body part, the Defense increases to
Challenging. The player draws three cards, a total equal to her character’s
The Deck Strength rank. The results are A♥, J♣, and 8♥. Since Harpoon/Spear is a
secondary Ability, only the J♣ is counted as a success. The nanurluk’s
Each fight is a single scene. Since Defense is Challenging, so the Game Master draws one card to count
combat can take multiple rounds, against the player’s draw. The GM draws a 4♣. Since the card matches
and cards are drawn for Initiative, the suit linked to the character’s Attribute, one success is subtracted
attacks, and dodges, decks can from the player’s total. This reduces the player’s total successes to zero.
diminish quickly. Any fight that The attack has failed.
lasts 5 rounds will typically drain
a deck by at least 25%. Therefore, Favor may be spent after an attack has failed; the player draws another
players need to pay attention to card, hoping for a success.
which cards are being drawn and
discarded in case they want to spend For example: A character’s attack has failed. Rather than accept defeat,
Favor to refresh their decks. the player spends a Favor point and draws an additional card. The result
matches the governing Attribute’s suit, earning the character a success.

If this additional card leaves the result unchanged, the player can accept
defeat or spend additional Favor. For any single action, a player can
spend a maximum amount of Favor equal to the character’s Wisdom
rank.

If a player draws a Joker, an action is automatically successful, regardless

of Difficulty; the GM’s draw does not count against the player’s success
Dogs in Battle total.

If trained dogs are traveling with

the group, a character can command step seven: damage
a dog to attack an opponent. The
normal rules for combat apply, but Once a successful attack has been made, damage is calculated. Damage
the governing Attribute is Wisdom is based on the weapon type and the amount of successes scored on
and Dog Handling is the relevant the attack. Each weapon has a Weapon Modifier, and this number is
Ability. A dog’s bite has a Weapon multiplied by the amount of successes to determine Health loss.
Modifier of 3, which is multiplied
by the number of successes earned For example: A character’s spear has struck the nanurluk, scoring one
on the player’s Wisdom draw to success. Since the Weapon Modifier for a spear is 4, the character has
determine damage. inflicted four points of damage (4 x1 = 4).

A character can target a specific body part with any attack. He may want
to disarm an opponent or strike the legs to restrict mobility. A blow to
the back of the head could be employed to stun an adversary or an eye
could be gouged to disorient. For these specialized attacks, an opponent’s
Defense is increased by one. If the attack is successful, the Game Master
must devise a suitable hindrance related to the player’s intent.

For example: In an attempt to disorient the nanurluk, a character declares

 35

25, this is not true of the monsters in the game.

Some of these creatures are extremely hardy with
Health scores as high as 100. A fight is won when
an opponent’s Health is reduced to 0. The character
that delivers the final blow decides if her attack kills
her adversary or merely knocks it unconscious.

The Game Master should describe injuries and

Health loss in a colorful manner, reflective of the
amount of damage done. It’s not enough to simply
say the opponent has lost 12 Health. The GM should
describe the blood spurting forth as the spear finds
its mark, and the creature’s anguished howl as it
stumbles in the snow.

that she is aiming for one of the creature’s eyes.

After her spear finds its mark, the Game Master drawing the ace
must decide how the action benefits the attacker,
beyond the damage inflicted. Since the player For most actions, drawing an ace adds an interesting
intended to disorient the beast, the GM declares story complication. This is not so for fighting. The
that the nanurluk stumbles about in pain, forfeiting consequences are more severe. If a character is
its next action. attacking with a weapon, and one of the successes
is an ace, the weapon is damaged and cannot be
The Game Master has final say on the additional used for the remainder of the fight. Any damage
results of any specialized attack. However, if inflicted on the opponent is unchanged, but the
the player’s intent is clear and plausible, the GM weapon is useless until it is repaired. A Crafts
should grant a result in line with the player’s draw against an Average Difficulty is required to
expectations. repair a damaged weapon. If a character is using
Grappling, Punch/Kick or Tackling, the force of his
A body part can also be targeted to inflict additional own blow harms him. He loses the same amount of
damage. If this is the player’s intent, it must be Health as his attack inflicted on his opponent.
declared before any cards are drawn, and the
Game Master must determine if additional damage
is possible. If the preceding criteria are met, the spending initiative
attack does additional damage equal to the Weapon
Modifier. Initiative is not only a score but also a pool of points
to be drawn from. A player can opt to spend one
For example: A character attacks the nanurluk point of Initiative for a second action in the same
again, aiming her spear at the creature’s heart. The round. The decision to spend Initiative is made after
character scores two successes. With a generalized the character’s first attack has succeeded or failed.
attack, the character would have inflicted damage
equal to the number of successes multiplied by the Players can only spend 1 Initiative per round. Since
Weapon Modifier of 4. However, the GM decides that characters regain 1 Initiative after each victorious
this specialized attack warrants additional damage. fight, players can usually afford to spend 1 Initiative
The character inflicts additional damage equal to per fight.
her spear’s Weapon Modifier of 4.
Spending Initiative early in a fight is a good tactic
Any damage inflicted by a PC’s attack is subtracted when the opposition acts near the bottom of the
from the opponent’s Health. round. In this scenario, multiple characters can
spend Initiative and pummel an opponent before it
For example: In her first two attacks, a character has a chance to act against them. This is particularly
has inflicted 16 points of damage. Therefore, the useful when the characters are overmatched.
nanurluk has suffered a loss of 16 Health. However, each time a player spends Initiative,
her score decreases, impacting the next round of
While humans have a Health score between 5 and combat.
36

evasion
Combat is deadly. Therefore, dodging an attack is critical. The rules
assume that characters are not passive targets waiting to be hit but rather
are doing everything they can to dodge an incoming blow. When an
opponent attacks a character, the player undertakes an Evasion action.
As the Evasion Ability is linked to Quickness, the player draws a number
of cards equal to the rank of her Quickness Attribute.

For example: A character is dodging the nanurluk’s attack. Since her

Quickness is 2, she draws two cards for this action.

As with other draws, the prioritization of the relevant Ability (in this
Firearm Damage case, Evasion) determines how the cards are interpreted.

Firearms have two Weapon For example: A character draws two cards to dodge an incoming attack.
Modifiers. Against the monsters of Since Evasion is one of her tertiary Abilities, the player only counts
the game the Weapon Modifier is numbered cards from the spade suit as successes. The character draws a
1, as the shadows across the snow 9♣ and a 10♦. Since neither card is a success, the action has failed.
are largely unhurt by weapons
not directly of the Land. Against Every opponent has an Attack score of Average, Challenging, or
mortal foes, firearms are as deadly Daunting; this reflects the Difficulty to dodge the opponent’s attack.
as expected. The Weapon Modifier If a character is up against a Challenging Attack, the Game Master draws
for pistols is 5 or 6, depending on a card to potentially counteract one of the player’s successes. For a
caliber, while rifles consistently Daunting Attack, the GM draws two cards.
have a Weapon Modifier of 6. The
Weapon Modifier for shotguns and Since Evasion is always a Quickness action, spades are the only cards
semi-automatic rifles is 7. counted against a player’s draw. Jokers yield no benefit; this perk is
reserved for players only.

losing health
A failed Evasion draw means the opponent has struck the character,
inflicting damage. An antagonist’s attack does not do variable damage
like a character’s; there are no modifiers to multiply against successes.
Game Master Draws Every opponent the PCs will face, human or otherwise, has a fixed
Damage score, which is how much Health loss the attack does.
The Game Master always draws
cards for Challenging and Daunting For example: The nanurluk’s claws rake across the character’s chest.
actions, even if a character’s action Since the monster’s Damage is 18, the character loses 18 Health from the
fails. This is done so the GM’s deck attack.
diminishes as the fight progresses.
Some opponents will have multiple Damage scores, reflecting multiple
means of attacking and doing harm.

absorbing damage
If an attack causes Health loss, a character can minimize the harm done.
A character absorbs half of the opponent’s Damage with a successful
Endurance draw. The opponent’s Attack score determines the Difficulty
for this action.

For example: A character is trying to minimize the Health loss from

 37

a nanurluk’s attack (Damage of 18). Since the term limitation. However, in some instances, the
character’s Strength is 3, the player draws three effects can cause long-term problems for a character.
cards. The result is two successes. The nanurluit’s A point of Favor may be spent to redraw the serious
Attack is Average, so the GM doesn’t get to draw injury card in hopes of a less devastating result.
any cards against the player’s total. The action is However, this can only be done once per serious
successful and the character loses 9 Health instead injury.
of 10.

With a successful Endurance draw, a killing blow impairment

can be reduced to a survivable injury.
All actions are harder to accomplish when a
character is seriously injured. If a character loses
complications from injuries 80% or more Health from cumulative injuries or a
single injury, she is Impaired. Impaired characters
If a character suffers at least 80% Health loss from a undertake all actions at one Difficulty level higher
single injury, there will be an additional consequence. than normal.
A broken bone could impose restrictions on certain
actions and take longer to heal. Blood loss might For example: A character with a maximum Health
continue to drain a character’s Health. An injury of 15 has lost 13 Health in a fall. As this is more than
may linger for years to come. In the event of a 80% of the character’s maximum Health, all actions
serious injury, the player draws a card from her are attempted at one Difficulty level higher than
deck and consults the Serious Wounds chart. normal.

In most cases, serious injuries merely slow Impairment lasts until Healing reduces a character’s
recuperation or burden the character with a short- Health loss below 80%.
38

fighting spirits
There is a secret language known to every angakkuq. It is an echo of the
original words that shaped creation from darkness. With the power of
this sacred tongue, an angakkuq can summon and dispatch spirits.

Spirits are incorporeal and immune to physical attacks. Quickness and

Strength cannot defeat them. They have Attack and Defense scores like any
other opponents, as well as Damage and Health. However, their Health
does not track their physical wellbeing; it represents how strongly they
are tethered to the physical world. To defeat a spirit, a character must
sever its connection to the world of man.

Helpful & Harmful Spirits Attacking a spirit follows the same process as any physical confrontation.
However, hand-to-hand and weapon Abilities are useless. In the hands
Most spirits can be helpful or of an angakkuq, words are power. Tales and Songs is used to harm
harmful, depending on how they are spirits. Draws are made against a spirit’s Defense.
treated. If an angakkuq is respectful
of the ancient ways, a spirit will For example: A character with a Wisdom of 2 attacks a spirit. Since Tales
interact positively with the shaman. and Songs is one of the character’s tertiary Abilities, he only counts
This is the nature of Favor; spirits numbered cards from the heart’s suit as successes. The character draws
are rewarding those who show the two cards, a 5♥ and a 5♦. He has earned one success (for the 5♥). The
proper reverence. Spirits that are spirit’s Defense is Challenging, so the Game Master draws one card, a
treated poorly will react negatively J♠. Since this card is not a heart, no successes are subtracted from the
with a shaman, such as when a character’s total. The attack succeeds.
summoning goes awry. When this
happens, the spirits lashes out at If a character’s attack is successful, damage must be determined. A
the angakkuq who has not shown character’s Wisdom rank is the Weapon Modifier for harming a spirit.
the proper respect or knowledge of
the ancient ways. For example: A character with a Wisdom of 2 attacks a spirit, earning
1 success. The attack inflicts 2 Health loss. This was determined by
There are some spirits that are multiplying the character’s Wisdom rank (2) by the number of successes
simply evil. They are sought out (1).
and dispatched from the world.
When a spirit’s Health is reduced to 0, it vanishes from the world.
However, it is not gone for good. The spirit’s connection has only been
temporarily severed. A spirit will bide its time, regaining 1 Health per
day, and eventually return. Some spirits will return a few days later,
even though they are in a weakened state. They know a single attack can
dispel them again, but they are hoping to get in a lucky strike that harms
their foe. Other spirits will wait until their Health is fully recovered
before returning to the world. They want to maximize their potential
for revenge.

A spirit can harm a character in a variety of ways. Sometimes they do

this by physically manifesting and attacking the character. When a
spirit manifests in the physical world, Evasion is used to dodge its
attacks, and a successful Endurance draw halves any Health loss.
Other times, a spirit attacks by bringing disease, bad luck, or inclement
weather. Endurance is used to resist disease brought about by a spirit; the
Difficulty is the spirit’s Attack.

If a spirit is hounding a person or group, there is a reason. Finding out

that reason and setting things right is necessary to permanently banish
a spirit. This is usually done through investigation. However, such
 39

research takes time and sometimes a character must

take a more direct route. Characters can summon a
spirit and force it to explain its motivation. Tales
and Songs is the relevant Ability to summon and
interrogate a spirit, and the Difficulty is Daunting.
If this action succeeds, the character will know
what offended the spirit and can attempt to set
things right.

For example: A summoned spirit reveals itself to be

the ancestor of a recent murder victim. The spirit is
out for vengeance and considers the killer’s entire
family fair game. With this knowledge, the PCs
devise a plan to bring the killer to justice. If they act
quickly enough, they can save the killer’s family,
who had no role in the atrocity.

If the draw fails, the spirit still appears. However,

it is angry and uncontrolled. The spirit manifests
physically and attacks the person who disturbed it.
The Health loss from a failed summoning is twice
the spirit’s Damage score, but only for this one
attack. Normal Evasion and Endurance draws apply
for dodging and absorbing Damage.

For example: A character’s attempt to summon

and interrogate a spirit fails. In retaliation for
this trespass, the spirit lashes out at the character.
A physical attack by the spirit usually inflicts 4
Damage. However, for this attack only, the spirit’s
Damage doubles to 8.

Characters should carefully weigh the benefits of

summoning a spirit against the threat it poses if it
cannot be controlled. A single attack by a powerful
spirit, driven by anger, can lead to death.
 41

monsters Chapter Six

Inuit folklore speaks of a variety of uncanny and can handle it, the creatures’ Attack, Defense, or Health
disturbing creatures. Most tend to reflect the harsh can be lowered to give the PCs a fighting chance.
winters and unforgiving landscape of the Arctic.
The scarcity of food is represented by a handful
of cannibalistic or gluttonous monsters. Other defense
monsters serve as cautionary tales, warnings
from parents to their young to keep them wary A monster’s Defense represents the Difficulty for a
of the dangerous environment. Some monsters character to successfully land an attack. The degree
personify aspects of nature while others appear of Difficulty determines how many cards the Game
as unnaturally large or sinister versions of more Master draws to counter the player’s successes.
mundane animals. If the Difficulty is Average, the GM does not get to
draw any cards. If the Difficulty is Challenging, the
Game Master draws one card to offset any player’s
traits successes. For Daunting Difficulties, the GM draws
two cards.
The monsters of Angakkuit are defined by a series
of traits. Some are common to every shadow that
falls across the snow while others are unique to a attack
particular monster.
Attack represents the Difficulty for a character to
dodge the monster’s strike. The creature’s Attack
threat Difficulty determines how many cards the Game
Master draws to counteract the player’s successes.
Every monster has a Threat rating, which defines If the Difficulty is Average, the GM does not get to
how formidable the creature is. Starting characters draw any cards. If the Difficulty is Challenging, the
can handle Average Threats, while Challenging Game Master draws one card to offset any player’s
Threats are intended for experienced characters or successes. For Daunting Difficulties, the GM draws
larger groups. Daunting Threats are rare and should two cards.
only be faced after the characters have significantly
increased their Attributes and Abilities.
tenacity
When choosing a monster, the Game Master must
consider the creature’s Threat rating. Monsters The player characters will typically fight only
should not be easy to overcome, but certain defeat one monster per scene. Therefore, multiple player
will frustrate players. If the GM is set on using a characters will be making attacks against the single
particular monster, but doesn’t think the characters opponent in a fight, and the Game Master’s deck

Origins
The origins of the monsters are left vague by intention. Do they come from the spirit world? Are
they a collection of ancient species that hibernate for a time? Each Game Master should create
whatever explanation best suits his or her stories.

While it has been said that the creatures have been slumbering, this can be viewed literally or
figuratively. The monsters could simply have been hiding and biding their time rather than
truly sleeping beneath the ancient tundra and icy waters of the north. Regardless, they have
returned to the world of men and they are hunting.
42

will shrink at a much quicker rate than the players’ After a monster’s attack has succeeded or failed, the
decks. For example, if a monster has a Challenging Game Master can opt to spend a point of Initiative
Defense, the GM is drawing a card for every PC’s for the creature to gain a second immediate attack.
attack, which leaves the creature at a significant This can only be done once per round. If a monster
disadvantage. Tenacity helps balance the scales. A only has an Initiative of 1, and the GM spends that
monster’s Tenacity determines how many times point, the monster automatically acts last in each
during a scene the Game Master may reinsert her round for the remainder of the fight.
drawn cards back into the deck. If a monster’s
Tenacity is Average, the GM’s deck cannot be
reseeded. A Tenacity of Challenging allows the Game specialties
Master to reinsert drawn cards once per scene. For
a Daunting Tenacity, the GM is allow to reseed the Monsters have a range of unique powers and
deck twice per scene. abilities. Collectively, these are referred to as
Specialties. Specialties also dictate how much damage
The Game Master is under no obligation to invoke a monster’s attack does. Each monster’s Specialties
Tenacity. For example, if the GM’s first few draws are included with its write-up.
go poorly, she may want to hold off using Tenacity
as there is a strong likelihood of drawing better
over the next few rounds. Alternately, if the Game Aasivarluut (a-see-va-loo)
Master has already drawn a lot of great cards, she
may want to reseed the deck sooner than later.
Threat: Average
It may take the PC’s a significant number of rounds Defense: Average
to defeat a monster with a high Health score. For Attack: Average
such creatures, the GM’s deck will dwindle much Tenacity: Average
more quickly. In these instances, Tenacity is critical Health: 30
as it allows the Game Master to continue drawing Initiative: 6
cards for the monster. If the GM’s deck has been
used up and cannot be reseeded, all Difficulties Specialty: Bite (inflicts 8 damage)
become Average for the player characters, as the
Game Master cannot draw any cards. Speciality: Venom (induces paralysis; a
Daunting Endurance draw is made each
minute to resit)
health
Health is the amount of damage a creature can An aasivarluut is a monstrous white-haired wolf
sustain from cumulative attacks. When a monster’s spider, as large as a caribou. It will eat almost
Health is reduced to 0, the beast is dead. any warm-blooded animal, but humans are the
preferred food. During the winter months, an
aasivarluut lurks below ground, in a snow-covered
initiative burrow, awaiting unsuspecting prey. When food is
scarce, it will crawl from its hole and hunt. While
The Initiative scores for monsters range from 1 to 10. the creature can move as fast as a human runner, it
A monster with a high Initiative score is more likely hunts slowly and deliberately to avoid detection, its
to act before any of the player characters and the white exoskeleton providing camouflage. During
reverse is true for a low score. At the opening of the summer months, the aasivarluut’s hair turns
every round, each player draws one card and adds brown to allow it to hide in marshes and muddy
the card’s value to his character’s Initiative score; burrows.
the GM draws one card and adds the result to
the monster’s Initiative. The attacking order of all An aasivarluut will use its front legs to pin down
combatants is set according to the results with the an opponent. Once the prey is immobilized, the
highest total going first, the second highest going monster’s fangs inject paralyzing venom that takes
next, and so on. If the Game Master draws a joker, effect within a minute. Once the prey goes limp, the
the monster automatically acts last. The order of aasivarluut cocoons its meal and drags it back to
action resets after every round of fighting. its lair.
 43

Story Hook: On the outskirts of an isolated

community, desiccated human corpses are
discovered. The player characters will have to
ascertain what manner of creature they are dealing
with (a Tales and Songs draw against an Average
Difficulty), discover the monster’s burrow, and
destroy the creature.

Akhla (ak-la)

Threat: Challenging
Defense: Average
Attack: Challenging
Tenacity: Challenging
Health: 40
Initiative: 5

Specialty: Bite (inflicts 16 damage)

Specialty: Weapon (inflicts 16 damage)

The akhla is an imposing creature, half man and

half grizzly bear, standing nearly twelve feet tall. It
has an ursine head and build covered in long brown Amarurluut (a-ma-roo-loot)
fur. The akhla is extremely strong and its jaws
easily rend flesh. The creature’s human-like hands
are capable of using simple tools and weapons, but Threat: Challenging
lack fine motor skills. An akhla typically walks on Defense: Challenging
two legs, but will run on all fours to frighten prey Attack: Challenging
and attack when unarmed. Tenacity: Average
Health: 30
Akhla live together in small families of three to five, Initiative: 7
communicating through growls, body language,
and scent. They prefer to make their lairs in caves Specialty: Bite (inflicts 12 damage in wolf
and abandoned mines, but will fashion igloos and form)
tents for shelter as needed. Like grizzly bears, akhla
are very protective of their homes and families and Specialty: Knife (inflicts 6 damage in
will fight to the death in defense of their young. human form)
Akhla are solitary hunters who prefer to raid
isolated Inuit settlements. They subdue their prey Specialty: Spear (inflicts 10 damage in
without immediate killing, bringing the victim human form)
home to feed the entire family a fresh meal.

Story Hook: In the middle of the night, a child goes Wise and learned Inuit know to be wary of
missing from his home. The following morning, strange camps or igloos in the wild. Although the
the boy’s sister claims that a monster abducted her inhabitants may appear human, they could be the
brother, and the player characters are called upon ancient amarurluut, a race of savage wolves that can
to investigate. They will need to track the creature assume the shape of humans. While the amarurluut
and kill it. If the akhla has a family, the characters can speak Inuktitut, their speech is stilted, broken,
will have additional threats to contend with. Speed and rudimentary. Their demeanor is aggressive
will be of essence if the captured victim has any and animalistic. Like wolves, they live and travel in
possibility of rescue. packs, migrating in search of food. The amarurluut
44

rely on violence and strength rather than wisdom, their heavy parkas, which cover pale leathery skin.
experience, or consent to determine leadership. The amautalik’s fish-like eyes have a hypnotizing
effect.
The amarurluut will offer shelter and hospitality to
any traveler, waiting until the guest is asleep before An amautalik is a solitary creature who keeps her
slaughtering them. Sometimes they will play with home far from prying eyes, prefering hidden caves
their food, stealing the traveler’s belongings then and abandoned outposts. Such locations allow
giving them a chance to flee into the wild before the amautalik to go about her work... snatching
pursuing them. When human prey is unavailable, unsuspecting children. She carries her victims on
they live off the same animals that wolf packs do, her back in a basket made from antlers and bone.
though they will also skin kills for clothing and Capricious and cruel, the amautalik puts her child
keep antlers and skulls as trophies. If no wild game slaves to work in demeaning and demanding (but
is available, the amarurluut will cannibalize their ultimately fruitless) tasks such as plowing fallow
own. permafrost soil or herding old and emaciated
animals. The amautalik is an abusive taskmaster,
While in human shape, they are capable of using whipping and beating her slaves on a whim. She
tools, and will ferociously fight with knives and forces the children to patch her parka or hunt and
spears. In wolf form, they are truly terrifying, using forage for her. The amautalik prefers raw, steaming
their powerful jaws and sharp claws. meat and will devour the choice parts of the carcass
first before throwing the leavings to her slaves to
Story Hook: The player characters become aware fight over.
of a roving pack of amarurluut. To deal with the
threat, they will have to track the pack across the The amautalik is particularly cruel to girl slaves,
tundra, surviving multiple environmental hazards working them relentlessly and beating them for
before confronting the monsters. the slightest infraction. She verbally abuses them,
calling the girls ugly and unloved, and tells them
that their families have abandoned them. In time,
Amautalik (a-mow-ta-lik) some of these girls develop a taste for raw meat and
their skin takes on a pale cast and leathery texture.
They become cruel and lazy, shunning bathing and
Threat: Average wearing the same clothing for weeks on end. Many
Defense: Average run away after puberty. These children become one
Attack: Average of the amautalik soon afterwards.
Tenacity: Average
Health: 50 During a fight, an amautalik will attempt to
Initiative: 3 hypnotize her opponent. If successful, the character
is not enthralled or incapable of defense, but his
Specialty: Hypnosis (resisting requires reaction time is slowed. This makes the amautalik’s
a succesful unskilled Awareness draw grappling attack more effective. If the grapple is
against an Average Difficulty; failure successful, the hag will hold the victim tight for as
means the amautalik automatically acts long as possible. This gives the hag’s aggressive,
first that round) fast-moving lice a chance to spread to a fresh host.
The lice cause immediate and intense itching. In a
Specialty: Grapple (inflicts 6 damage; few days time, the itching becomes so maddening
Challenging Difficulty to break free) that the victim goes irrevocably insane.

Specialty: Lice (character must make an Story Hook: An amautalik captures a child. After
Average Endurance draw each day until several long days of tracking, the PCs find the hag’s
treatment or go permanently insane) lair and the missing child. More so, they discover
other missing children. One young girl is on the
verge of becoming an amautalik (knowing this is a
Inuit parents scare naughty children with tales Tales and Songs draw against a Challenging Difficulty).
of the amautalik. These obese and unkempt hags Once the amautalik is defeated and rescued, the
stand around fifteen feet tall and move silently characters will have to find a way to save the young
across the snow and ice. Swarms of lice live in girl before her transformation is complete.
 45

Anirniq (a-near-nik) Anurirjuaq (a-new-rear-jo-ak)

Threat: Average Threat: Daunting

Defense: Average Defense: Average
Attack: Average Attack: Average
Tenacity: Challenging Tenacity: Challenging
Health: 50 Health: 80
Initiative: 5 Initiative: 5

Specialty: Torment (bad luck and poor Specialty: Stomp (inflicts 40 damage)
weather are visited on an area; no
mechanics involved) Specialty: Great Winds (inflicts 30
damage)
Specialty: Possession (Tales and Songs
draw against an Average Difficulty to The anurirjuaq are the great wind giants of Inuit
resist possession) folklore. These solitary beings summon storm winds
that can decimate an area for miles around. They
are large enough to catch whales in their hands,
The Inuit word for breath also means spirit. which they use for food, oil, and skins. Aside from
Normally, when an animal or person dies, its breath their incredible size, the anurirjuaq appear much
rejoins the air, referred to as Sila. However, if proper as humans do, and even use the same tools and
funeral rituals are not observed, the anirniq of a clothing, but on a larger scale. Although they have
human or animal can return seeking vengeance. their own language, some speak Inuktitut.
An anirniq is usually invisible and incorporeal but
can materialize into a physical form if so desired, Story Hook: The player characters speak with
appearing as a twisted shadow of its former earthly the sole survivor of an American hunting party.
self. According to the terrified American, his group
was hunting on a small island in the Canadian
Being nothing more than breath, an anirniq can Archipelago when they discovered a giant human
pass through any barrier that is not airtight. The footprint in the snow. Startled, the group quickly
first sign of the spirit’s presence is bad luck: tools packed up and prepared to leave. However, before
break, shelters collapse, and animals spook. As they they could finish breaking camp, a fierce wind
linger, storms rise without warning and animals pummeled the area, tossing bodies and gear around
turn on their masters. Powerful anirniq can even as if they were nothing. The storm lasted less than
possess the bodies of other people and animals in a minute, but killed everyone else in the hunting
their quest for vengeance. The possessed take on party. The player characters will need to find the
an otherworldly air and adopt the mannerisms island in question and slay the wind giant.
of the anirniq in life. Careful examination of the
eyes of the victim (a Tales and Songs draw against
an Average Difficulty) will identify the person or Erqigdliit (eer-kik-d-leet)
animal as possessed. An angakkuq can banish an
anirniq from this world, but the spirit will continue
to return until the wrong done to them in life is Threat: Average
corrected. Defense: Challenging
Attack: Average
Story Hook: An anirniq is plaguing a small Tenacity: Average
community. Upon investigation, the player Health: 30
characters learn that it is the spirit of a person who Initiative: 8
was murdered. However, the murderer is someone
powerful or important, such as the mayor or sheriff. Specialty: Dog Bite or Claw (inflicts 8
How do the PCs set the spirit to rest? Will exposing damage)
the killer be sufficient? Will they have to get the
killer to confess? Is the death of the murderer the Tracking (automatically track prey over
only thing that will satisfy the anirniq? any distance)
46

The erqigdliit are most commonly found on Baffin have a fantastic sense of smell and the ability to
Island and the northeastern islands of the Canadian tirelessly track prey by scent alone.
Archipelago. These feral monsters are half-man and
half dog and no two look alike. One might be a dog Story Hook: The player characters become
with a human face while another might be a human suspicious of a series of wild dog attacks in Iqualuit.
with multiple canine features. Another might have Suspecting that something inhuman is behind the
a human torso and the hindquarters of a dog. The attacks, the characters investigate and discover
combinations are endless and disturbing. Many of one of the erqigdliit is responsible. The attacks are
the erqigdliit are humanoid dog monsters with an all occurring around the city’s landfill, which the
appearance similar to the werewolves of western monster has made its lair.
folklore, albeit with canine features.
Inukpasugjuit (in-ook-pa-su-gweet)
The erqigdliit are creatures of instinct, possessing
no more intelligence than a clever dog, regardless of
appearance. They are incapable of human speech, Threat: Daunting
even those with fully human faces and throats. The Defense: Average
erqigdliit express themselves by barking, yipping, Attack: Average
whining, and howling. Tenacity: Daunting
Health: 100
Erqigdliit will eat almost anything. They will dig Initiative: 5
through garbage for food and hunt animals and
humans alike. Most erqigdliit are solitary creatures, Specialty: Stomp (inflicts 60 damage)
but on occasion they will gather in small packs.

Erqigdliit attack their prey in a variety of ways. These legendary giants sleep beneath the ice and
The more bestial monsters rend their victims with mountains in the uttermost north. The inukpasugjuit
their claws and bite. Those with human hands will are truly massive and their very footsteps can
pummel their opponents with makeshift weapons trigger avalanches and earthquakes. A human
(e.g. a large animal bone, a glass bottle, etc.). They caught beneath their boots would be crushed like
 47

an insect. Luckily, inukpasugjuit are so large that giants are seldom in the mood to talk, often attacking
they have trouble fighting humans with anything without provocation. To the inuarugligasugjuit,
other than their feet. Inukpasugjuit can be male or humans are a threat vying for the same limited
female and wear traditional Inuit clothing. They resources in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
will usually ignore wandering humans, considering Unlike many of the shadows that fall across the
them a non-threat. However, this changes if a giant snow, the inuarugligasugjuit have no taste for
is attacked or hungry. human flesh.

Inukpasugjuit have a fierce hatred of their own The inuarugligasugjuit use tools, but scaled for their
kind. Should two such giants ever stumble upon oversized bodies. In battle, their skinning knives
one another, they will fight to the death. According can pierce flesh like a spear. The inuarugligasugjuit
to some myths, the titanic clashes of ancient are not particularly skilled warriors; they rely on
inukpasugjuit shattered the far north into thousands their size and brawn to win a fight.
of pieces, forming the Canadian Archipelago.
Story Hook: As winter draws near, the caribou
Story Hook: Recent stories of earthquakes in the begin migrating southward. Inuit hunters from a
far north confirm something Ilisaiji fears: one of the small settlement are hunting the caribou to stock
inukpasugjiut has awakened. Defeating the giant is up on meat for the coming months. Unfortunately,
the greatest task the characters will ever undertake. a group of inuarugligasugjuit is hunting the
In fact, the PCs may be unable to physically best same herd. The Inuit are outclassed and easily
the monster. Their only recourse may be to stir killed. The PCs are called upon to end the threat
another one of the inukpasugjuit from its slumber of the inuarugligasugjuit before the entire herd is
and pit the two giants against each other. Such a slaughtered. Should the characters fail, the human
plan is risky, but the two inukpasugjuit could very community is unlikely to survive the coming
well destroy one another in battle, though the cost winter.
to the surrounding landscape may be considerable.
If one of the giants does survive, it should be weak
enough for the characters to defeat. Inukturniq (in-ook-tur-nik)

Inuarugligasugjuit Threat: Average

Defense: Average
(in-oo-a-ru-glee-ga-juk) Attack: Average
Tenacity: Challenging
Health: 20
Threat: Average
Initiative: 5
Defense: Average
Attack: Average
Tenacity: Average
Health: 30 The act of cannibalism corrupts the spirit, creating
Initiative: 6 an inukturniq. Once an Inuk has turned to this path,
he is forever lost. The hunger becomes insatiable,
Specialty: Knife (inflicts 10 damage) and he finds that he cannot abide anything but the
taste of his fellow humans.

The inuarugligasugjuit are a race of lesser giants An inukturniq retains all the traits he had as a
inhabiting the Canadian Arctic. The largest stand normal person. Most terrifying, their outward
about twenty feet tall, but some stunted specimens appearance does not change. The most cunning can
are barely ten feet in height. Of all the giants, the feed in a large community and remain undetected
inuarugligasugjuit most closely resemble humans. for months or even years until clever angakkuit are
Some are solitary beings and others gather in small able to root them out. An inukturniq may live alone
groups or families. The inuarugligasugjuit speak on the outskirts of a small settlement, periodically
a primitive language that resembles Inuktitut striking when his or her food supply draws low.
(communicating with one of these giants is a simple However, if too many victims go missing over too
unskilled action for Inuit characters and an expert short a period of time, the inukturniq’s activities
unskilled action for others). However, these lesser may quickly come to light.
48

Story Hook: The player characters notice a pattern the characters hear the howling of wolves.
of missing persons in a small Inuit community.
Something sinister is clearly at play, as nearly
a dozen people in a hamlet of only one hundred Kayarissat (ka-ya-rees-sat)
have gone missing in less than a year. In time, and
after considerable investigation, the characters
discover an inukturniq living in an abandoned Threat: Daunting
military outpost a few miles outside of town. Every Defense: Average
month or so, once he has finished his last victim, Attack: Average
the inukturniq treks into the settlement and grabs Tenacity: Average
another. The PCs will have to put an end to the Health: 80
cannibal’s feeding habits after a dangerous game of Initiative: 4
cat-and-mouse at the abandoned outpost.
Specialty: Weather Control (there are no
mechanics involved to summon weather
Kajjait (kay-jay-t) phenomenon; rules for various weather
conditions can be found in Chapter Four)

Threat: Challenging Specialty: Harpoon (inflicts 40 damage)

Defense: Average
Attack: Challenging
Tenacity: Daunting The kayarissat are rarely seen giants that kayak
Health: 70 through the ocean, hunting whales. They are
Initiative: 4 equal to the anurirjuaq in size, and can control the
winds in similar fashion. However, the kayarissat
Specialty: Bite (inflicts 12 damage) can also generate other weather phenomenon,
from blizzards and fog to rain and hail storms.
The Kajjait are fought as a pack, and the Fortunately, the kayarissat tend to fish deep in the
statistics are for the entire pack not an oceans, so encounters with these giants are few and
individual cursed wolf. far between.

The kayarissat use tools, including massive fishing

Kajjait are a pack of wolves cursed with an nets and harpoons, and dress in thick furred
insatiable hunger. Emaciated and mangy, these clothes to keep themselves warm on the ocean.
creatures prowl the tundra in search of sustenance, No kayarissat has ever been spotted outside of its
occasionally wandering into small settlements. massive kayak, which is large enough to smash any
Their sole means of attack is their bite, which boat that gets in its way. The kayarissat will attack
can break human bone. Kajjait are intelligent and human vessels on sight. However, they will seldom
will use hit-and-run attacks against small groups. engage in physical conflict with their harpoons and
If confronted with overwhelming numbers, the nets, instead relying on their ability to manipulate
wolves will not turn away. Their hunger is so all the weather.
consuming that the kajjait will attack anything
living, no matter the risk. Story Hook: An oil platform in the Arctic Ocean
is under attack by one of the kayarissat. Getting
Story Hook: Communication has been lost with a to the oil rig is a challenge in and of itself, and the
small mining community. Anticipating the worst, PCs will need a good explanation for why they are
the player characters go to investigate. Once there, there. Once on the scene, the characters will have
they find a town devoid of life. Hidden by recent to survive all manner of weather-based attacks and
snow, the characters discover human remains formulate a plan to defeat the giant. Time is a factor
scattered throughout the area. After some additional as the monster’s attacks are slowly weakening the
investigation, the PCs find a survivor, a young girl platform’s structural integrity; it is only a matter
hiding for her life. Earning the child’s trust is an of days before the rig collapses into the ocean. Not
Influence draw against a Challenging Difficulty. Once only will lives be lost, but also gushing oil will do
accomplished, the girl recounts the massacre that untold damage to the Land.
occurred at the jaws of the kajjait. In the distance,
 49

Kukilialuit (koo-kee-lee-a-loo-eet) Story Hook: The characters are transporting a

sick child across the tundra when a blizzard hits.
Before the characters can begin to make an igloo
Threat: Average for shelter (a Crafts draw against a Challenging
Defense: Average Difficulty due to the time constraint) they notice
Attack: Average another snow house nearby. Should the characters
Tenacity: Challenging venture there, the monster that dwells within will
Health: 40 attack. If the characters focus on crafting their own
Initiative: 6 shelter instead, the monster will stir from its igloo,
attacking under the cover of the blizzard.
Specialty: Claws (inflict 20 damage)

Mahaha (ma-ha-ha)
The kukilialuit are only found on the tundra, far
inland and away from the coast. They appear
human except for their long razor-sharp claws. Threat: Challenging
The kukilialuit are ravenous monsters that only eat Defense: Challenging
human flesh. They will use their claws to rip and Attack: Challenging
tear the meat from the bones of their victims. Their Tenacity: Average
hunger is so great that the kukilialuit will leave Health: 40
only shards of bone, the marrow licked clean, when Initiative: 8
they are done.
Specialty: Tickle (immobilizes victim and
The kukilialuit are savage and bestial, with no drains 10 Health per minute; Daunting
semblance of humanity. They are silent and never Difficulty to resist)
speak, save for the occasional grunt or growl. The
kukilialuit are solitary hunters who seldom venture Specialty: Tracking (automatically track
far from their lairs. This makes encounters with the prey over any distance)
kukilialuit extremely rare.
Specialty: Strength (punch inflicts 10
damage)

All Inuit fear the sound of giggling faintly heard

through the howling night winds. It means that
mahaha is out hunting. This monster has human
proportions, but is thin and wiry with snow-white
eyes, corpse-pale skin, and long, stringy black hair.
The cold does not bother the mahaha, who wears
only a fur loincloth. Always giggling, the monster’s
mouth is twisted into a rictus grin filled with sharp,
glistening teeth.

Once the mahaha has chosen its prey, it will sneak

into the person’s home and attack. Even if the target
escapes, the mahaha will give chase, traveling
across hundreds of miles and through any sort of
terrain until it has made its kill. Despite its build,
the mahaha is incredible strong. These creatures
have long fingernails, as cold as icicles, which they
use to tickle their prey to death. The painful tickling
steals the target’s breath, which the Inuit consider
to be a person’s spirit. It is the spirit that the mahaha
draws sustenance from.
50

Story Hook: A friend of the player characters has Known as the “ogres of the north,” the narajat are
been targeted by a mahaha. The NPC is afraid to degenerate giants that stand ten feet tall. Narajat
stop running for fear the monster will catch him. are morbidly obese, so much so that they must bind
The characters become aware of this through a their distended bellies with animal gut thongs to
prescient dream and quickly race to intercept their keep them in place when hunting. Gluttonous to
friend. They must convince him to stop running the extreme, they will eat whatever they kill and
and await the mahaha’s arrival. After preparations will kill whatever they can. When fresh humans
are made and a few hours pass, the monster makes or animals are unavailable, narajat will venture to
his appearance and the battle begins. gravesites to dig up rotten meat to fill their bellies.

Despite their size, narajat are fast and agile hunters.

Nanurluk (na-nor-look) Unlike other giants, they disdain tools and weapons,
preferring to take down their prey with their bare
hands. A narajat can consume an entire caribou in
Threat: Challenging a single sitting.
Defense: Average
Attack: Average Story Hook: Ilisaiji sends the PCs to investigate a
Tenacity: Challenging narajat that has taken up residence in an abandoned
Health: 80 mine. Being unusually clever, the creature has
Initiative: 5 constructed crude traps from the abandoned
equipment. The characters must navigate the ogre’s
Specialty: Bite and/or Claw (inflicts 18 gauntlet, find where the monster is hiding and
damage) dispatch the creature before it turns its hungry eyes
to nearby settlements.

A nanurluk is an enormous polar bear large enough

to fit a man in its mammoth jaws. The creature is a Qallupilluk (kud-loo-pid-luk)
powerful swimmer that spends as much time in the
water as it does on land. The nanurluk is vicious
and territorial and will attack humans on sight, Threat: Average
whether on land or on an ice shelf. The monster will Defense: Average
even lash out at boats that intrude on its territory, Attack: Average
smashing the hull with a swipe and devouring the Tenacity: Average
crew and any edible cargo. Health: 40
Initiative: 9
Story Hook: A wildlife photographer runs afoul of
an extremely vicious nanurluk. Enraptured with Specialty: Scales (inflicts 12 damage)
the thought of capturing an image of an unknown
species of bear, the photographer remains in the Specialty: Slippery (Daunting Difficulty
area in an attempt to get the perfect shot. The PCs to grab hold of a qallupilluk)
must intervene to protect the photographer from
himself as well as take down the monster before it
can harm anyone. Inuit children are warned not to wander too close
to the ocean shore or thin ice, lest a qallupilluk
see them. This monster emerges from the water
Narajat (nar-a-jat) clad in an oversized amauti (a parka with a pouch
for carrying an infant) and kidnaps unsuspecting
Threat: Average children. A qallupilluk has hollow eyes, sharp
Defense: Average teeth, and reeks of sulfur. The slimy, grey-skinned
Attack: Average monster stuffs its victim into its pouch and takes
Tenacity: Average the child out to sea to meet an unknown fate.
Health: 50
Initiative: 7 Standing between four and five feet tall, a
qallupilluk weighs around two hundred and fifty
Specialty: Strength (inflicts 12 damage) pounds with insulating blubber to protect it from
 51

During the brief summers in Nunavut, insects breed

in pools of stagnant water left by melting snow and
permafrost. Among them are the qittoriat, swarms
of gigantic mosquitoes, each as large as a human
head. These monsters move quickly and can drain
a human of all blood in under a minute.

Like mosquitoes, the qittoriat are sensitive to

temperature and require water to breed. While
qittoriat are only seen in the weeks of summer, they
are deadly threats for those short periods. They can
decimate herds of wild game or devastate smaller
villages in a matter of hours. If given the full length
of summer to rampage, the damage a swarm can
do is incalculable.

The qittoriat are fought as a swarm and the statistics

are for the entire swarm, which is treated as a single
monster.

Story Hook: A swarm of qittoriat is ravaging the

countryside, moving from settlement to settlement,
draining the blood of every living thing in its path.
The player characters are in pursuit. However,
tracking and confronting the qittoriat is one thing;
the cold waters. The creature prefers to come ashore surviving the swarm is an entirely different matter.
at night because their eyes are better adjusted to the
dark briny depths of the ocean.
Tuurngait (turn-guy-t)
If cornered on land, a qallupilluk will strike their
attackers with webbed hands. The scales of their
skin are abrasive like a shark’s, cutting those Threat: Challenging
they slap to ribbons. The abrasive skin and slime Defense: Challenging
covering their bodies also help them escape from Attack: Challenging
most conventional bonds. Tenacity: Challenging
Health: 60
Story Hook: Over the course of a few months, three Initiative: 9
children go missing from a small coastal community.
Most of the townsfolk suspect a pedophile but some Specialty: Sickness (invokes a variety of
elders think a qallupilluk is responsible. Fearing the illnesses in a small area; Endurance draw
worst, the elders reach out to Ilisaiji, who dispatches against a Challenging Difficulty to resist)
the player characters to investigate.

Qittoriat (keet-too-ree-at) Spirits, benevolent or foul, fill the land. With the
darkening of the world, the spirits are becoming
increasingly malevolent and dangerous. A skilled
Threat: Daunting angakkuq can call upon the charitable spirits for
Defense: Average blessings. However, far too often the darker kind
Attack: Daunting will answer the call and bring misfortune.
Tenacity: Average
Health: 40 The most evil of the tuurngait inflict madness
Initiative: 9 and sickness. Less monstrous spirits prefer subtle
mischief such as breaking tools, damaging buildings,
Specialty: Blood Drain (10 Health every and spooking animals. In larger communities,
attack) tuurngait will often damage electronics and
52

infrastructure, being particularly fond of cutting all then eat the crew once they are in the water. The
lines of communication before beginning deadlier uurgarjuag can alter its coloration, allowing it to
torments. Some have power over weather and other ambush prey despite its colossal size.
natural phenomenon. The most powerful tuurngait
can cause blizzards in the summer or thaw in mid- Story Hook: Reports of a lake monster draws the
winter. PC’s interest. Investigating these claims involves
spending time on a fishing boat. After a few days,
Tuurngait are incorporeal and invisible but can the characters finally come face to face with the
assume the form of any animal. When doing so, uurgarjuag.
the spirit will always have something unnatural
about its appearance or demeanor, an otherworldly
quality that perceptive angakkuit can spot. Animal and human foes
Spirits are usually brought to the material world by No traits are given for arctic animals. Most can
an angakkuq. Most often, a well-meaning shaman be killed or subdued with simple Hunting draws.
simply lost control of the spirit. However, there are Wild animals will generally steer clear of humans,
angakkuit who willingly traffic with dark spirits. provided they are not attacked and their personal
Only the shaman who summoned the spirit can space is not violated.
banish it, though the death of the angakkuq will
accomplish the same end.

In some cases, tuurngait act as crusaders for the

Land, visiting tragedy upon those who despoil it.
Addressing the slight against the Land is the only
way of permanently banishing these tuurngait.

Story Hook: While traveling, the characters find

themselves in a small town. However, there is
something off about the village and within a short
time the characters find that their transportation
and ability to contact others has been cut off.
Trapped in the town, they soon discover that one
of the tuurngait has taken it over. The PCs must
discover how the spirit came to the mortal world in
order to permanently banish it.

Uurgarjuag (oo-gar-jew-ak)

Threat: Average
Defense: Average
Attack: Average
Tenacity: Average
Health: 80 Traits for mortal human foes are a more varied
Initiative: 2 affair. For the most part, Difficulties are Average, but
noteworthy foes, ones that serve as a climax to a
Specialty: Bite (inflicts 12 damage; can grueling adventure or campaign, should be assigned
target two victims at once) higher Attack, Defense, Tenacity, and Initiative ranks.
Health scores will fall in the typical human range of
5 to 25, though corrupted angakkuit, empowered by
The uurgarjuag is a giant, carnivorous fish found dark spirits, may have superhuman Health levels.
in deep Arctic lakes. It is a solitary hunter large
enough to swallow a kayaker whole. The monster
will slam into fishing boats to capsize them and
 53

game master Chapter Seven

The Game Master’s responsibility is three- series of scenes that build upon one another, leading
fold. She oversees implementation of the rules, the characters from beginning to end. However,
authors the basic plot, and relates the world to since role-playing is an interactive narrative jointly
the players. This chapter provides advice on these crafted by the players and the GM, the Game Master
three responsibilities with an emphasis on story creates a rough outline rather than a detailed script.
construction. The ideas presented are intended to While the GM makes the initial hook that draws
aid the Game Master. They are not gospel. They the characters into the action, it is the players who
should be followed, ignored, or altered to the taste determine the outcome of events and forge the plot
of each GM. through their decisions. Since players will often
react to a situation in an unanticipated fashion, or
approach a problem in a way that never occurred
referee to the GM, the Game Master must be able to think
quickly on his feet, adapting to the changing
Players may have questions, or argue over how a narrative.
rule works, or debate whether a certain action is
possible. It is the GM’s job to handle these matters Monster hunting is the basic, default plot for most
and interpret the rules in a fair and impartial stories in Angakkuit. However, from this premise, a
manner. Therefore, the Game Master should be variety of options are possible. The hunt could be a
familiar with the rules beforehand, so that in the sprawling chase across the tundra or a dangerous
event of a conflict an informed decision can be trek through the mountains. In these scenarios, the
made. The GM’s ruling is final in all matters. environment can be as great a threat as the monster.
The characters will have to survive outdoors for
The rules are the ultimate determiner if an action days and overcome all manner of environmental
is successful or not, allowing the Game Master to obstacles. An urban hunt will have a completely
remain impartial. However, the GM must determine different flavor, as the characters pursue their
when the rules come into play. Sometimes, prey through darkened alleys and abandoned
there is no need to draw cards; success might be structures. Town based adventures might also
inevitable or an action could be impossible. If the be more investigative in nature with characters
GM determines that a draw is called for, it is up gathering clues and speaking to eyewitnesses in
to him to set the Difficulty. Guidelines for setting order to locate their prey.
Difficulties are provided in Chapter Four.
The choice of antagonist obviously has great
influence on the plot of a game. A vengeful spirit
author can spawn a tale of mystery or inspire a ghost
story. A deranged angakkuq, spilling innocent
The Game Master must create engaging stories blood for some twisted purpose, lends itself to a
that interest the players. When the plot captures psychological thriller. A wolf that shapeshifts into a
the attention of the players, they will advance from local villager casts a pall of paranoia and mistrust,
scene to scene with minimal coercion from the as the characters hunt for a monster that hides in
Game Master. If every location and NPC is unique human form.
and memorable, players will more easily immerse
themselves in the narrative. Creating a vibrant and Plots do not have to be limited to monster hunting.
dynamic setting is one of the GM’s most important As fledgling angakkuit, the characters are expected
roles. to help people and communities in need. Their
mentor, Ilisaiji, may task them with transporting
medicine to a remote settlement by dogsled.
plot They may be called upon to mediate a dispute or
investigate a theft or murder. Plots are only limited
The plot is the overall architecture of the story. It is a by the GM’s imagination.
54

ideas and inspiration

Some Game Masters are brimming with inspiration and imagination.
Others need some assistance to get the creative juices flowing. For those
needing a kick-start, the easiest method is to begin with the antagonist
of the story. Most often, this is a monster that the characters need to
vanquish. There are twenty creatures presented in Angakkuit, and each
implies a certain type of adventure. An ogress can inspire a tale of daring
rescue in which the PCs storm the monster’s lair to save her young
captives. A cannibal preying on a city’s unsuspecting populace lends
Habitat and Lairs itself to an investigative story, as the PCs will need to gather clues to
identify the killer. A pack of monstrous wolves roaming the countryside
The Game Master should consider can inspire an outdoor adventure, in which the PCs track the beasts across
a monster’s habitat when creating the tundra while dealing with the harsh and unforgiving environment.
her plot. Does the creature roam the Deciding on the monster at the center of the story will often cause the
tundra, dwell on an isolated island plot to fall right into place.
or live beneath the water? Perhaps
it keeps to the back alleys and less A location can also serve as inspiration. An abandoned town can
traveled avenues of a small city? naturally lead to a ghost story or present a mystery to be solved. An
Does the monster live amongst a isolated island, engulfed in fog, could be home to an ancient horror (and
community, disguised as a friendly who knows what lurks within the mist).
local? Perhaps it sleeps in a cavern
or a burrow beneath the earth? The plot of a film, novel, or television show can serve as the basis for
an adventure. In the movie Aliens, communication is lost with a distant
A few of the monsters mimic the colony and a team is sent in to investigate. They discover an empty
traditional lifestyle of the Inuit. settlement, save for a single survivor, a traumatized young girl. Soon
They live in tents or igloos far from after, the threat that eradicated the colonists makes itself known, and the
civilization. Abandoned towns team finds itself locked in a deadly game of cat and mouse. This same
and military outposts also make plot structure can be employed in Angakkuit. Communication is lost with
excellent lairs. Such settings add a small mining community, and the player characters investigate. They
a feeling of dread to an adventure find the location devoid of life except for a little girl hiding in the mine.
and provide multiple places for a Over and over again, she mutters under her breath, “the wolves are still
creature to hide. hungry” and very soon the players learn the horrible truth behind the
child’s warning.
An inuksuk (plural inuksuit) is
a pile of rocks assembled into a
vaguely human shape. Ancient Inuit call to action
used these cairns for navigation
and to mark the migration routes The standard adventure begins with a call to action. This is the hook that
of caribou that came north for the propels the characters into the plot. A variety of options are available
summer. In the world of Angakkuit, to the Game Master, some more involved than others. An assignment
they can also be the resting place from Ilisaiji is the simplest call to action. In this example, the PC’s
of the dark spirit the characters are mentor knows of a threat and dispatches the characters to handle it.
hunting, making for a different type The GM uses Ilisaiji to brief the player characters and get the adventure
of lair altogether. underway with minimal prologue.

There are other calls to action that can get an adventure started quickly.
The characters might be monitoring media reports for signs of inhuman
activity when something catches their interest. A local legend or
folktale might spawn an investigation. A friend or relative’s run-in with
something monstrous can draw the characters’ attention. Happenstance
can also play a role. With this call to action, the player characters are
simply in the right place at the right time when something occurs. Using
this approach too often stretches credibility, but a clever GM can work
around this.
 55

A prescient dream is a more creative and involved they’ve been hunting is gorging itself inside the
call to action. In this example, one or more player general store. The GM expects the characters to
characters experience an unnerving or foreboding sneak inside, or charge in after the beast, or wait in
dream that serves as the entry point into the ambush. Instead, the characters decide to burn the
adventure. It can hint at avenues of investigation structure to the ground while the monster is inside.
or provide clues as to what is happening, but it The creature survives the conflagration and runs
should not deliver definitive answers. Symbolism off into the night, trailing smoke and fire. Before
obfuscates the truth. In some cases, the dreams’ true the characters can give chase, angry townsfolk,
meaning may be hiding in plain sight, but without enraged at losing their store, surround them. The
context the players won’t understand the message. players’ actions have created at least one new and
Clarity should only come during the adventure, as unplanned scene.
elements of the dream begin to make sense.
An adventure should contain multiple types of
The Game Master can invent any call to action that scenes. While fight scenes and investigative scenes
suits his taste and style. Ideally, he should mix are the most common, many more are possible. For
and match various techniques, avoiding repetition example, a social gathering or a physical challenge
when possible. could be the focus of a scene. Varying the types of
scenes helps with pacing and gives every character
a chance to shine. Players prioritize their characters’
scenes Abilities according to what interests them; designing
scenes that feature those Abilities only makes good
A plot is a collection of scenes with a causal sense. Since most groups are not a homogenous
relationship to one another. The events in one scene collection of players, a mix of scene types is ideal.
lead to another scene, which in turn leads to a third,
and so forth. Since the players control the direction Every story will have a few key scenes that are
of the story, the order of the scenes should be as critical to moving the plot forward. They provide
fluid as possible. The Game Master will often need crucial information or feature pivot points where
to adapt on the fly, as an unplanned scene could the plot can be guided in one direction or the other.
arise from the players’ decisions. For example, Key scenes should be among the most memorable
the player characters discover that the creature in a story. If a scene features a momentous event
56

or encounter, this is easy to accomplish. Quieter scenes require more

Starting Point work. A vivid description of the characters’ surroundings is one way to
do this. Another option is to populate a scene with an interesting NPC
The Game Master and players need or two.
to determine where the characters
are before the story begins. Do they There is always the risk that players might bypass a key scene altogether.
all live in the same small community, With this in mind, the Game Master shouldn’t make the resolution of the
studying with Ilisaiji? Are they story reliant on one particular scene. Sometimes, however, this cannot
engaged in personal affairs, living be avoided. Therefore, if the players skip a key scene or fail to resolve
ordinary lives until duty calls? the conflict in that scene, the Game Master should offer a guiding hand
Are they nomads wandering the here and there while carefully avoiding too much interference.
Arctic, traveling from settlement to
settlement, hunting monsters and
helping those in need? The decision action and conflict
is up to each group.
Plots require action and conflict. Without them, the story stagnates.
Actions are not limited to fights and other feats of physical prowess.
Following tracks through the marsh, speaking with the local bartender,
and building an igloo are actions too. Action is anything the characters
Refocusing Players actively engage in that enriches the narrative and drives the plot
forward.
Sometimes characters will drift too
far from the main plot. They may Conflict is the dynamic aspect of the scene, creating tension and enticing
latch onto a minor story detail, the characters to movement. Without conflict, there is nothing for the
thinking it more important than characters to strive against, no reason to persevere, and no direction to
it actually is, or follow a dead-end guide the plot.
lead longer than anticipated. The
Game Master should give players Physical and environmental conflicts are the backbone of Angakkuit;
ample room to explore and act social conflicts have their place but are less common. A physical conflict
within the narrative structure, but challenges the body. Fights and chases fall under this category. An
when the pace suffers too much or environmental conflict pits the characters against nature. Surviving a
the players become directionless, blizzard, evading wild animals, and navigating the Arctic are examples
the GM must get them refocused on of environmental conflict. A social conflict is a challenge of an ideological
the main plot. nature, such as an argument with another player character or an NPC.

A helpful NPC is often the easiest A scene can have more than one conflict. In these cases, each scene needs
way to steer the characters in the right a primary conflict that drives the action, with secondary conflicts existing
direction. The NPC can point out a to complicate the matter. For example, a scene’s primary conflict might
critical detail that the PCs missed be a physical struggle against a towering giant, while the secondary
or suggest a path forward. The conflict could be a concurrent snowstorm that reduces visibility and
GM can also have the Land speak impedes movement.
directly to the characters though
dreams or intermediary spirits.
Dreams should be clear enough setting
to get the characters back on track
but remain mysterious and cloaked Every scene has a setting. This is the location where the action and
in symbolism. A spirit’s words conflict occurs. It might be outdoors (a marsh or a city street) or indoors
should be cryptic but hold enough (a house or a general store). The setting can be a wide-open area (a stretch
guidance to redirect the characters. of tundra) or a confined space (a bedroom). The nature of the action and
The helpful spirit can appear in conflict often dictates the setting. For example, if the characters want to
a variety of forms, from human to talk to the local bartender, the scene will likely occur at the community
animal to even an inanimate object bar. However, this isn’t always the case. They could approach the
such as a flickering flame. bartender in the streets or at church or visit him at his home.

There is no infinite list of setting archetypes for the GM to draw from.

 57

More often than not, players will visit the same If a story takes place in a community, the Game
types of structures and vistas every adventure or so. Master must decide on the size of the town. A hamlet
This means the Game Master must do everything with a few dozen residents has a different feel than
she can to add differentiation. Every bar and a city of a few thousand. Small communities will
every home should not be described in the same have minimal modern amenities, while larger ones
manner. Including a unique or interesting detail will have quite a few. Cities, such as Iqualuit, will
at every location will make it stand out. This is be similar to other North American cities, albeit
trickier with an outdoors setting, where one stretch on a much smaller scale. Larger communities
of frozen wasteland looks the same as any other. are more likely to have an airport, though a few
However, adding distinctiveness to such locations private airports can also be found in smaller, more
isn’t impossible to do. A bizarre rock formation or remote towns. Internet service, radios, televisions,
an unusually jagged shoreline can make a location municipal water and other aspects of modern life
more memorable. are less likely to be found in tiny communities.

When considering the setting for individual scenes, Time of year is an important setting detail. Summers
the GM should keep in mind the overall setting of are reasonably safe, but winters are deadly.
her story. Does the action occur on the mainland or Blizzards, subzero temperatures, and other hazards
an island? Does it take place in a small community will complicate any action the characters undertake.
or in the city of Iqualuit, which has a population The approach of the cold season could even be used
near 7,000? If the story takes place outdoors, what to add a sense of urgency to a mission.
environments will be featured? Tundra, mountains,
hills, and open water are common options. What
about NPCs? In an outdoor setting, characters NPCs
may not encounter another living soul for months.
When they do meet other people, they are likely to While each player controls a single character,
be small groups of fishermen, hunters, or whalers. the Game Master is responsible for creating
The characters may come across isolated camps and role-playing all the NPCs with whom the
of Inuit, living off the land as their ancestors did. player characters interact. The GM defines their
However, such random encounters are rare; most personalities and motivations, what they say and
modern Inuit live in permanent settlements that what they do. Some NPCs will have marginal roles
can be found on a map. in the story while others will have prominent ones.

Threat Rating
Every monster has a Threat rating of Average, Challenging, or Daunting. Starting characters can
handle Average Threats, and Challenging Threats are intended for experienced characters or
larger groups. Daunting Threats are rare and should only be faced after the characters have
significantly increased their Attributes and Abilities.

When choosing a monster, the Game Master must consider the creature’s Threat rating. Monsters
should not be easy to overcome, but certain defeat will frustrate players. If the GM is set on
using a particular monster, but doesn’t think the characters can handle it, the creatures’ Attack,
Defense, or Health can be lowered to give the PCs a fighting chance.

Teasing the Monster

The Game Master should never be direct as to the appearance of the monster the characters are
pursuing. A grisly murder scene or unusual tracks can provide hints as to what the characters
are up against. An NPC can offer a description of the creature. The characters could catch a
glimpse of the beast during a snowstorm or under the cover of night. The monster may even
engage in a hit-and-run attack, quickly disappearing into darkness before the characters can
respond. No matter the approach, the GM should tease the characters with the identity of the
monster, leaving the final reveal for the climatic showdown with the beast.
58

NPCs are best viewed as aspects of the setting who are there to help
bring the narrative to life; they should never usurp the PCs’ role of
driving the drama.

Most NPCs will be specific to a single story. Therefore, the Game Master
needs to decide how much detail and background to apply to them. She
may prefer three-dimensional characters or quick stereotypes. Each NPC
should be given a unique characteristic to personalize the individual.
This could be a mannerism, a physical trait, a speech pattern, or anything
The Military else that makes the NPC noteworthy and easily identifiable.

The Canadian military has had a

presence in the Arctic since before climax
the Cold War. There are a few bases
in the far north, but they have The plot culminates at the climax. This should be a tension-filled scene,
relatively small staffs. They focus where success or failure is at stake. In most adventures, the climax is
on research and signals intelligence the final confrontation with the monster. The characters have concluded
gathering. Training exercises their investigation and tracked their prey to its home or lair. The only
are sometimes conducted in the thing left to do is vanquish the enemy.
Arctic, often making use of the
abandoned communities that dot An interesting location can make the climatic scene more memorable.
the landscape. A dilapidated cabin, far from civilization, is a more interesting place
for a final showdown than a house in the city. Of course, the same
While the Canadian Arctic is large house decorated with human remains is a different story. Location can
enough that the PCs are unlikely also increase tension. The final showdown with the monster is more
to ever run into the military, it is affecting if the characters have to hunt the beast through the darkness of
possible. If the Game Master is an abandoned mine, and a struggle near the edge of a cliff adds an extra
interested in introducing a more layer of anxiety.
conspiratorial element to her game,
she could have certain military
officials aware of the monsters campaigns
roaming the north. The military
could be an additional antagonist A campaign is a collection of individual adventures featuring the player
or a potential ally. The leadership characters. An ongoing narrative, comprised of multiple stories, gives
could be maintaining secrecy to not players ample time to develop their characters’ personalities and flesh
spook the local population, or could out their backgrounds. The limited time frame of a single adventure is
have a more nefarious plan to use not conducive to character growth; a campaign is.
the newfound monsters as weapons
of war. Alternately, the GM could The Game Master may want linkage between his stories, something that
have a monster prey upon a small connects one adventure to the other. The easiest means of doing this is
military outpost. In this scenario, to create a single cause behind the return of the monsters. This also sets
the player characters must consider up endgame conditions for a campaign, if so desired.
how to go about their business. Do
they conduct their work unseen or The monsters of the north can be servants of the uumajurngautaviniit.
reveal themselves to the few soldiers The first animals are dismayed that creation is no longer a fluid thing.
in harms way? They long for the days when a single word or thought could reshape
reality. The uumajurngautaviniit hold humanity accountable for this
stagnancy and will see the stain of man removed from all things. Since
the first animals are ancient and ageless, they act according to their own
timetable. What might seem like a long-range plan to mortal thinking
is not so to the uumajurngautaviniit. Physical confrontation with the
uumajurngautaviniit is impossible. They are too powerful to be bested.
The characters will need to convince the uumajurngautaviniit that man
is worth sparing.
 59

A powerful angakkuq could be responsible for the GM can introduce environmental threats. In
the monsters of the north. For personal gain, he the winter this includes weather-based phenomena
bartered with dark spirits. Enslaved to madness, such as snowstorms, blizzards, and strong winds.
he unleashed ancient horrors from their slumber Avalanches, thin ice, and crevasses can serve
beneath the ice and freezing waters. Finding and as obstacles. Wild animals might threaten the
killing the angakkuq will dispel the shadows that characters, though this is rare. Most wildlife will
fall across the snow. However, the shaman is well steer clear of humans, only acting if their personal
hidden and extremely powerful, having received space is intruded upon.
boons and inhuman abilities from the spirits he has
trafficked with. Characters who spend too much time outdoors
or lack proper clothing for the Arctic will suffer
The Land itself could be responsible. In this scenario, frostbite and hypothermia. Rules for various
the Land is contemplating the extermination of environmental threats can be found in Chapter
mankind. It has chosen the player characters to Four.
represent humanity. Every adventure is a test for
not just the characters, but for their entire species. If
the young angakkuit win their struggle against the random encounters
monsters of the north, mankind is spared. If not,
the Land will pass final judgment on humanity. To enliven treks across the Arctic, the Game Master
can introduce a random encounter by drawing a
A campaign doesn’t have to be a collection of card and comparing it to the Random Encounters
connected adventures. Each story can stand alone, Chart.
unrelated to what has gone before or will come after.
The players and their characters simply accept that Some entries on the Random Encounter Chart
monsters have returned to the world and that they provide multiple options and the Game Master
need to be vanquished. The PCs move from threat can chose whichever one catches her interest. For
to threat without the concerns of a bigger picture. example, if the characters encounter a wild animal,
the Game Master chooses the animal in question,
which will affect the flavor of the interaction. For
Environmental threats example, stumbling into the personal space of a
polar bear will present a different challenge than
During the course of an adventure or campaign, encountering a herd of musk oxen. The Random
60

Encounter Chart should only be used once during any prolonged

journey.

experience
Campaigns allow for character advancement. Attributes and Abilities can
be improved by spending Experience Points (XP), which are earned after
each adventure. Conducting a successful monster hunt or investigation
earns each character 1 to 3 XP. A simple hunt, one that is solved by
following a monster’s tracks or investigating a single area, is worth 1
XP. A more involved hunt, featuring a few locations and more detailed
Ghost Towns investigation, is worth 2 XP. A sprawling story, with multiple locations
and dozens of leads, is worth 3 XP.
A fair number of small communities
within the Canadian Arctic lie Characters earn 1 to 3 XP for defeating a monster. The creature’s Threat
abandoned. Inuit who moved Level determines the amount of XP earned. An Average Threat Level is
southward for better economic worth 1 XP, a Challenging Threat Level is worth 2 XP, and a Daunting
prospects are responsible for some Threat Level is worth 3 XP.
of them. Others were abandoned
as mining in the surrounding area During a fight, the character that delivers the coup de grace receives 1
dried up. Some were trading posts additional XP.
or Cold War outposts that are no
longer of value. Each of these Experience Points are spent as follows:
communities is small, with only a
few permanent structures in place. • 5 XP: Improve an Ability from tertiary to secondary.
Some will be ruins in various stages • 10 XP: Improve an Ability from secondary to primary.
of collapse while others will be • 10 XP: Increase an Attribute by one rank.
fairly intact.
Derived Traits increase as Attribute ranks increase. Raising Wisdom
Abandoned settlements can serve increases Favor, raising Strength increases Health, and raising Quickness
as a temporary refuge during and/or Awareness increases Initiative.
snowstorms when characters are
wandering the north. The few Experience Points can be spent immediately or saved for the future.
building left intact can be explored,
providing a brief diversion from
the main plot. Ghost towns are narrator
also ideal lairs for monsters. In an
abandoned community, a creature The Game Master’s role is more than author and arbiter. He is responsible
can eat and rest with little fear of for narrating events and describing each scene to the players. He decides
interruption. Or so it thinks. what a location looks like, what sounds permeate the air. However, the
GM shouldn’t limit himself to two senses. Smell, touch, and taste can
also be utilized. The feel of cold, biting air and the smell emanating from
the monster’s lair can help bring a scene to life. The GM also relates the
appearance and demeanor of every NPC. He defines their motivations
and personalities and determines how they respond to the player
characters. The more vivid the Game Master’s descriptions, the easier it
is for players to immerse themselves in the story.

The GM is also responsible for maintaining the pace of the adventure.

If the players become bored or dither too much, the Game Master must
react. Establishing a deadline for success can motivate players to action.
An unexpected complication can be introduced to stir the players from
their doldrums. The GM is free to use whatever techniques he feels the
players will respond to. The key is to get them moving.
 61

dreams language of the Land, echoes of the original words

of power that shaped creation. This gives the Game
Dreams are a storytelling device for imparting Master license to go over the top a bit. For example,
information to the characters in a mysterious, a player might converse with a snowy owl in his
symbolic manner. The imagery can give insight into dream and awaken with a white feather in his
a current problem or a glimpse of a future event. hand. The GM can have all the PCs experience
Dreams can be handled with role-playing alone. In the same dream simultaneously. Doing so sends a
other words, players are left to decode the dream clear message that the dream is far from ordinary
without invoking the rules. However, this may not and has deeper significance. It also has the added
work for all players. A character can interpret the advantage of involving all the player characters.
meaning of a dream with a Visions draw against
an Average Difficulty. Success does not provide Prescient dreams should be rare and special.
instant answers; it only points out clues that a Overuse will blunt their effectiveness. The Game
player may have missed or explains the meaning Master should restrict this storytelling device to a
behind a symbol. Players will have to determine maximum of once per adventure.
how the dream’s meaning relates to the adventure
at hand.
character death
The Game Master must decide how much influence
the characters have on the dream. They may be a The potential for death makes for thrilling role-
passive audience, unable to act in the dreamscape, playing, and a player should understand that her
as the GM describes what the characters are character’s life is on the line. However, death should
experiencing. Alternately, the Game Master can not be a random event. It should be reserved for
allow the players some control over their characters’ critical moments in the adventure. Dying during
dreamselves. They may be able to interact with their the climatic battle with the monster is one thing;
environment in a limited fashion, such as touching dying from an accidental fall into freezing water,
an object or conversing with a person or animal. while on a simple hike, is another.

In Angakkuit, dreams are far more than expressions In dangerous situations, poor card draws can lead
of the subconscious mind. Dreams are the secret to character death. However, the GM can override
this. For example, if a fall would normally kill
a character, the Game Master can instead opt to
severely wound the unfortunate victim. To keep the
sense of danger for characters, there must always
be a serious consequence for failure. For example, if
the GM spares a character from a falling death, that
character should be Impaired, making future draws
at one Difficulty higher than normal.

The Game Master shouldn’t help players who

are unwilling to help their own characters. For
example, if a character’s fall would normally result
in death, and the player refuses to spend any Favor,
he or she should not receive a bailout. Players must
avail themselves of all resources. If not, the Game
Master shouldn’t intervene and spare the character
from certain death.

Another method to handle unexpected character

death is to allow the player to role-play her
character’s spirit after expiration. With this
approach, the character remains with the group
as an incorporeal being, interacting with the other
player characters. Once the adventure is complete,
the spirit’s work is done, and the spirit departs
62

forever. While this approach to character death is interesting, it has a few

drawbacks for campaigns. First and foremost, the character is still dead.
While the player remained involved in the immediate narrative, he or
she has to create a new character before the next adventure. Secondly,
this approach can only be used in rare occasions. The uniqueness wears
thin if numerous characters return as spirits.

After a death, a new character can be introduced at the start of the

subsequent adventure. The same events that drove the other player
characters to this unusual life apply. Ilisaiji could seek out the new
recruit or a helpful spirit could drive the character to join the group.
Between Adventures Any explanation the player and GM can agree on is acceptable.

The Game Master and players

must decide how to handle the final thoughts
time between adventures. Some
players prefer to summarize their This chapter is merely advice. The Game Master should only use the
character’s downtime in a few concepts and ideas he feels will work with his group. Rules should be
sentences. Others want to role- tweaked or ignored. Each Game Master should take the material and
play the space between adventures. make it his own.
Role-playing downtime must be
a unanimous decision among the
players. If even one player decides
that downtime is best handled
without role-playing, this approach
should be taken for the entire group.
Players uninterested in role-playing
the moments between adventures
will be bored watching others do
so or frustrated if they are forced to
participate.

Reconnecting with loved ones and

training with Ilisaiji are common
downtime activities. Traversing
the Arctic is also common, as many
adventures take place in distant and
remote locales. Returning home can
make for an interesting story in
itself, as characters are confronted
with a series of potential challenges.
They may have to navigate an
unfamiliar landscape, survive a
blizzard, or hunt for their food.
 63

adventure Chapter Eight

It Started with a Dream is an introductory adventure things will only get worse.
showcasing many of the basic elements of Angakkuit.
It features a prescient dream as a call to action and The adventure is set during the winter months,
nearly every Ability comes into play. There is a creating additional complications for the player
mystery to be solved, a monster to be vanquished, characters.
and a spirit to appease. It Started with a Dream is
designed as a first adventure for new characters,
but there is no reason it can’t be used with seasoned call to action: the dream
PCs.
Each of the player characters share the same
The player characters will pursue multiple lines dream:
of investigation as they work their way through
the adventure. This means that the order of You are on a field of ice. Everything you hear—
many scenes can vary, depending on the players’ gusts of winds, your breathing, blood rushing
decisions, and two very different scenes can serve to your ears—feels maddening with time. You
as the adventure’s conclusion. More so, the players see movement ahead, a snowy owl. Also, in your
will have some freewill in determining the exact peripheral, you sense others, but cannot see them
manner in which the adventure’s primary threat is directly. You begin moving towards the owl when
dispatched. a new sound, this time tapping, comes from your
feet. You look down to see a parka-clad boy beneath
Blue text is to be read aloud to the players, though the ice, yelling, but his words are indecipherable.
the GM is free to paraphrase as she sees fit. Suddenly, from the darkness beneath him, an
Applications of the rules are bolded to make them inhuman hand clutches the boy’s throat and drags
stand out on the page. him down into the void.

overview
An anirniq is plaguing the small community of
Qisik, and the player characters must find a way
to appease the vengeful spirit. They must uncover
the nature of the threat and deal with the ancillary
complications born of the spirit’s actions.

The town of Qisik hasn’t practiced the traditional

rituals of the Inuit in decades. This has angered
the anirniq of a recently killed whale, which is
tormenting the town for not honoring its sacrifice.
The townsfolk do not believe in the old tales and
have no idea that there is more to their recent spate
of bad luck than meets the eye.

The anirniq’s curse has taken multiple forms. The

local Catholic church burned to the ground just days
before and the town’s dogs have turned randomly
violent. Most troubling is the disappearance
of a young boy. The spirit’s curse has drawn a
qallupilluk to the area, which is responsible for the
missing child. If the spirit is not appeased soon,
64

You jerk your head up and spy a weathered sign: Qisik (pop: 56).

The baleful sound of a whale’s song fills the air as you approach a
small community. Smoke rises from the center of the town and you
find yourself standing by the charred remains of a building. The snowy
owl lands on the outstretched hand of a man wearing a long parka and
driftwood mask, which is adorned with feathers and markings.

Maggie’s Patrons You snap awake.

Maggie Unnuk (the owner): Maggie The players will immediately realize that this is no ordinary dream; it
is a smart, funny redhead of Irish is a call to action from the Land. The only concrete fact they have to go
decent. She has lived in Qisik for on is the town’s name. A quick on-line search will prove Qisik exists
over twenty years, staying even and provides its location. If the player characters are all traditionalists,
after her husband passed away. She the GM can simply have one of them be familiar with the town and its
still enjoys making drinks when the location. No card draws are required for locating Qisik.
tavern is crowded.
While the characters cannot know the true nature of the dream without
Franklin Unnuk (Maggie’s adult son traveling to Qisik and investigating, there are things they can determine
and the tavern manager): Franklin at the outset. A successful Visions draw against an Average Difficulty
is more serious than his mother. reveals the snowy owl to be a helpful spirit leading them into the
He is a friend of Jacob Suluk, so his heart of the mystery. It also identifies the young boy as the subject
demeanor is a bit more restrained of foul play, likely through an inhuman agency. This same successful
than usual. He inherited his father’s Visions draw points to the whale song and the charred building as being
Inuit features and bears no physical important clues, though this is likely obvious to the players.
likeness to his mother.
There are two aspects of the dream that can call for Tales and Songs draws.
Lyssa Potter (bartender): Lyssa is an The players may do so to identify the mask the stranger is wearing and
attractive local girl who loves talking to inquire about monsters that live below the ice and prey on children.
to those passing through.
A successful Tales and Songs draw against an Average Difficulty
Nasak, Natar, and Tootoo: These identifies the masked man as an angakkuq (according to the markings
are the whalers who brought down on his mask). While a successful draw will not identify the stranger as
doom upon Qisik. All three of them friend or foe, the snowy owl’s acceptance of his outstretched arm implies
have had pretty horrible weeks and an ally rather than an enemy. A second successful Tales and Songs draw
are slightly drunk. They are unaware against an Average Difficulty will yield background information on
of the consequences they have qallupilluk, a creature associated with water and child abductions
wrought. (see Chapter Six for information on the qallupilluk).

Samuel Tug (mayor): He is weary

and a bit drunk himself. The missing arrival
child weighs heavily on Samuel.
He is at a loss for what to do and is After arriving in Qisik, the PC’s first order of business should be lodging.
grateful for the PC’s help. As there is no hotel in Qisik, only two options are available. The first
possibility is to rent a room at the community’s tavern, which has a
single spare bedroom on the second floor. As all the player characters
will be squeezed into one room with a single bed, some will have to
sleep on the floor. The second option is for the characters to sleep in a
tent or igloo outside of town. However, this will strike the townsfolk as
odd and increase any Difficulties for Influence draws.

Building an outdoor shelter is a Crafts draw against a Challenging

Difficulty due to the anirniq’s curse. Tools slip or break, minor pieces
of equipment are misplaced, and other nuanced bits of bad luck plague
the characters.
 65

being “off.” For example, the bartender

maggie’s tavern will complain that she has been breaking
The tavern is a reasonable starting place for the glasses all week long and is worried that
characters to begin their investigation. It is one she will have to start paying for them.
of the few community buildings in Qisik and it is
frequented by most of the townsfolk on a regular The scene at Maggie’s will put the PCs on two
basis. This scene will primarily feature Influence clear paths for their investigation: speaking to
draws (Average Difficulty for those staying at Jacob Suluk and visiting Katak. Other investigative
the tavern; Challenging for those choosing to paths will also likely be pursued, but will either
camp) and perhaps some Observation draws. The dead end or route the characters back to these two
players should devise a reason for their presence individuals.
in town, e.g. a hunting trip, as some townsfolk will
be skeptical of inquiring outsiders. The easiest way
for players to get information is to simply strike up jacob suluk
casual conversations and steer the discussions to
their benefit. The inebriation of the tavern’s patrons The players may choose to investigate the missing
will make this fairly easy to do. child first since the church has already been
destroyed. With the child, there remains a chance
Some of the things that can be learned at Maggie’s to save something. Players will find Jacob Suluk at
are: his home, the location of which can be provided by
any NPC. He is the accountant for the community,
• The town’s Catholic church recently but hasn’t worked since his son vanished. Influence
burned to the ground. The priest, Father draws with Jacob have a Challenging Difficulty
Alain, suspects foul play. because he doesn’t fully trust the outsiders or
• The town has no law enforcement and no their motivations. If they gain entrance to Jacob’s
means of investigating the cause of the fire. house, they can also make Observation draws
Most assume faulty wiring or an accident against an Average Difficulty to spot pictures of
of some kind, though some support Father Benjy. There is no mistaking him as the boy from
Alain’s assertions of foul play. the dream.
• A ten year-old boy named Benjamin
“Benjy” Suluk disappeared a few days ago. Jacob Suluk is a damaged man. He may be played
His father, Jacob, has grown withdrawn. as dangerous, but he truthfully is just depressed,
This tragedy only compounds the passing exhausted, and lost. Benjy is his only son so this
of his wife Irina earlier in the year. loss, coupled with his wife’s passing, has crippled
• A crazed shaman named Katak made a him emotionally.
fuss about “the old ways” the last time he
came through Qisik. He lives in an igloo six If the PCs enter Benjy’s bedroom, they can find a
hours outside of town. child’s rendering of a monster with a successful
• Last week, many of the town’s dogs Observation draw against an Average Difficulty.
began acting violently. Fearing rabies or The crude drawing shows a qallupilluk with a
some other disease, the canines have been small child stuffed into its amauti. If they ask Jacob
quarantined in kennels owned by David about this, he will tell them that he shared with
Irniq. Benjy a “silly little story that people have passed
• There are several complaints of little things down for generations.” Jacob, along with most of

Pulling the Rug: Maggie’s

There were no eyewitnesses to Benjy’s disappearance or the moment the church caught fire.
However, this doesn’t mean people won’t come forward to claim they were there. For example,
someone who has overheard Father Alain complain about Katak’s possible involvement might
try to help out the priest by claiming she saw him there. The Game Master must decide if
someone is misinformed or merely lying. If they are the former, their information is simply
bad. If they are the latter, the GM needs to prepare motivations for why they are lying and
repercussions for when their lies collapse.
66

the townsfolk, knows about the myth of the qallupilluk, but doesn’t
remotely believe in it. He simply told Benjy the tale to keep him wary
of the shoreline. Jacob explains how Benjy and his mother used to
walk the water’s edge for hours, but after she passed away, Benjy quit
walking the path. For some reason, in the days immediately preceding
Pulling the Rug: Irina his disappearance, Benjy resumed the old activity again.

The player characters may very well Once the PCs convince Jacob they want to help, he will attempt to assist
latch onto the idea that Jacob’s wife them. Jacob will direct the characters to the section of shoreline Benjy
Irina is haunting her son. They may frequented, but will refuse any invitation to come along.
also make an erroneous connection
between her and the church. While
neither is true, players should be father alain
allowed to pursue these dead ends.
When the characters investigate the burnt church, they instantly know
Part of the fun with any mystery this is the building from their dreams. The only difference is that now
is a good red herring, and the they can examine the rubble and see religious artifacts mixed in with the
deceased Irina Suluk makes for ruined structure.
an excellent one. Why? Because,
even though she is not the correct This is where they meet Father Alain, a Québécois who came here over
answer to the mystery, she can still a decade ago. He is in his fifties with graying brown hair. He speaks
lead the players towards the final, Inuktitut and English fluently, albeit with a French Quebec accent. He
correct conclusion. The suspected feels compelled to push against the myths of the area and isn’t concerned
involvement of Irina’s spirit can about hurting feelings. Father Alain lives next to the church in a building
help draw the characters to the that remained largely unscathed by the fire. Influence draws with Father
shoreline. Alain carry an Average Difficulty unless the characters are openly
negative about his religious beliefs; if this happens, Difficulties
increase to Daunting.

The characters can learn the following from Father Alain:

Qisik
• He believes the fire was the result of foul play.
Qisik is a tiny community in • He saw nothing that night, as he was asleep in bed at the time.
northeastern Nunavut. Its exact • He recently had an argument with Katak, a shaman (his words)
location is up to the Game who lives about six hours from Qisik. Katak used to live in the
Master, but has little bearing on hamlet, but kept butting heads with Alain, Samuel Tug, and
the adventure. As long as it is a others.
mainland town, near the shoreline, • He does not believe Katak ever had any issues with the Suluk
its location is irrelevant. family.
• The Suluk family attended church here and Father Alain is
Qisik is a collection of small deeply saddened for Jacob’s loss.
homes and a few basic community • He believes Katak might have started the fire to “prove” Inuit
buildings. They receive supplies spirits were upset with Qisik.
once per year by sealift. The village
residents supplement these supplies Father Alain isn’t an antagonist by any means, but his beliefs make
with hunting and whaling. his information horribly biased. In his mind, Katak lurks at the heart
of the problem. He isn’t as convinced that Katak is behind Benjy’s
The town’s population fluctuates, disappearance, but whole-heartedly believes Katak burnt down the
but has never exceeded seventy church.
residents.

katak
Getting from Qisik to Katak’s igloo is a six-hour jaunt. The PCs can travel
by snowmobile or sled, depending on the transportation they used to
 67

get to town, but the trip will take roughly the same disease and my mother fared poorly in the elements
amount of time. On their way to find Katak, the without him. She tried to get us to a place like Qisik,
players will encounter a freak snowstorm. but died along the way. A man found me, took me
in, and trained me in the ways of the Land and its
The snowstorm will slam into the PCs a few hours spirits. He became like a father to me, and now it
into their journey. Controlling any dogs during seems the roles have changed.
the storm requires Dog Handling draws against
a Challenging Difficulty. A Crafts draw against I know why you came here. I want to help.
a Challenging Difficulty is required to make an
impromptu shelter due to the sudden onset of the Conversation with Katak will garner these results:
storm. Should the characters fail to make adequate
shelter in time, they will be forced to make Endurance • He is an angakkuq.
draws to stave off hypothermia and frostbite. • He is steeped in traditional Inuit customs
and follows them vigorously.
Once the storm passes, the characters are still not • He believes the modernistic trappings of
out of the woods. Navigation draws against an Qisik have angered the spirits of the Land.
Average Difficulty are needed to get back on track • The inhabitants of Qisik are not obeying the
towards Katak. Healing draws may be required if proper funeral rites and paying due respect
shelter wasn’t finished before the storm was well to the whales that give their lives to sustain
under way. the town. Angered by this disrespect, an
anirniq is visiting its vengeance on Qisik.
Once the PCs reach Katak’s igloo, they will find • He has never been associated with the
him to be quite different than the man described snowy owl, but knows the owl is a symbol
in town. The biggest truth is that he is indeed of wisdom and a powerful spirit guide.
reclusive. He has cut himself off from the world.
Despite these truths, Katak isn’t antisocial. He Snooping around Katak’s place can lead to other
will make his home available to his guests while revelations:
offering them food, advice, and supplies. Dealing
with Katak can be handled strictly through role- • He has a small arctic fox inside his igloo. It
playing. No Influence draws are required as Katak has been domesticated and named Willie.
will be forthcoming with any information. Katak explains it is his helper spirit, one of
the tuurngait.
Katak will explain his story: • Katak’s ceremonial mask, the one from the
characters’ dream, can be found inside the
I was orphaned when I was six. My father died of igloo.

The Dogs of Qisik

The PCs may decide to visit the kennels and consult with David Irniq. If they do so, there is
nothing noteworthy to discover. David can speak of the dogs’ erratic and violent behavior prior
to his taking them in but has no useful insight. The canines will be quiet and docile unless their
cages are approached. If anyone gets too close, all the dogs suddenly spring to life and begin
growling and barking ferociously.

If the player characters are getting fidgety from the lack of physical action up to this point in the
adventure, the GM can use the dogs of Qisik to liven things up. Some of the dogs in the kennels
can break free of their cages, posing a challenge/fight for the PCs. Alternately, some of the other
dogs in town, those that have yet to turn violent, can attack the characters.

If the player characters came to Qisik by dogsled, their dogs are unaffected by the anirniq’s
curse. This can reinforce the townsfolk’s belief that some disease is affecting Qisik’s dogs, since
the PC’s canines are acting normally. Of course, should the characters stay in Qisik too long
before banishing the anirniq, their dogs may very well turn on them.
68

If Katak is asked about the late Mrs. Suluk, he will dismiss ideas that her
spirit haunts the hamlet. He suggests finding out what the anirniq wants
Pulling the Rug: Katak and appeasing its desire. He also believes the boy yet lives, but nobody
trusted him enough to let him help. Katak is certain that whatever is
First and foremost, Katak is an ally. responsible for the boy’s disappearance is a byproduct of the anirniq’s
There is no reason to craft him as curse.
a villain. While he is interested in
helping the player characters, he is Katak can help summon the anirniq. Summoning the spirit with Katak’s
no friend of Qisik. He feels the town assistance is a Tales and Songs draw against a Challenging Difficulty;
has betrayed his culture and him. doing so without his aid increases the Difficulty to Daunting. The
While Katak doesn’t want people method the anirniq communicates through should be frightening, as it
to die, he possibly would allow the is not pleased with Qisik’s disrespect. If the PCs compound the respect
town to suffer more shortcomings, issue, they may earn its ire. The anirniq explains what offended it but
be it a missed food/supply drop, gives no clues towards appeasement. It only says:
more damage to buildings, and so
forth. Unfortunately, as the anirniq Qisik must pay its respects.
gets angrier, Qisik’s citizens will
seek out a scapegoat. The most It will not say where the boy is or his role in things. The PCs will have
likely candidates are outsiders such to find Benjy on their own.
as Katak and the player characters.

Playing Katak a little “dirty” can the shoreline

heighten It Started with a Dream as
it creates a subplot of saving the lost Investigating the shoreline may occur prior to meeting Katak, and the
souls of a man and a community. order doesn’t affect game play. As the PCs check out the paths Benjy
The roles of angakkuit surely cover walked with his mother, they can make Observation draws against
these domains and makes for a an Average Difficulty to notice something moving in the water a
stronger adventure. few hundred feet from the coast. The characters can rent a rowboat
to investigate the disturbance. Maneuvering the boat requires an
Athletics (Water) draw against an Average Difficulty. It isn’t long before
something starts ramming the boat from beneath. It is the qallupilluk
toying with the characters in hopes of deterring them. The PCs may
Environmental Woes wish to make attacks using their Bow or Harpoon/Spear Abilities, but
doing so is a Daunting Difficulty as the creature is deeply submerged
Almost everything is harder in the and agile in the water. The creature cannot be reasoned with, as it
frigid wastes of Angakkuit. Keeping doesn’t understand language.
your balance on ice is difficult.
Falling down is ridiculously easy, When the qallupilluk is hit, it immediately flees towards its home,
yet getting back up is sometimes where it is keeping Benjy prisoner. The players should follow and will
Herculean. Getting cold is simple. find a tiny island with a cave. Benjy, filthy and scared, can be glimpsed
Getting warm… not so much. near the cave’s mouth. Saving Benjy at this point simply boils down to
Even the basics of seeing and defeating the qallupilluk (see page 50 for information on the monster).
breathing prove more difficult. The creature will remain in the water, ramming the boat or even leaping
The game demands a nod to these aboard to grab a character with the intention of dragging the victim
environmental factors, and they down into the waves. Dodging this attack is an Evasion draw against
should be omnipresent. Fighting an Average Difficulty. If the creature’s attack succeeds, the character
the qallupilluk is hard enough; only has one minute to get back onto the boat before hypothermia sets
fighting it while keeping the boat in (see Chapter Four). Even then, the character must warm up quickly
afloat and not falling into the icy or face death.
waters should make for an epic
conflict. Once the qallupilluk is defeated, Benjy can be rescued. On the ride home,
the boy will explain that he was walking the shoreline when he heard
something in the water. When he got close to the edge, the qallupilluk
snatched him and took him to the cave. He says the creature fed him fish
and held him close at nights to fight the cold. He says it seemed lonely.
 69

conclusion father serves as the adventure’s conclusion. This

should be a joyous occasion as father and son are
There are two potential conclusions to the reunited.
adventure, depending on the order of the characters’
investigation. The adventure can conclude with
appeasing the anirniq. There is no right or wrong experience
way to do so, as long as the key components
of respect and remembrance are utilized. Any It Started with a Dream has a moderate degree of
reasonable solution the players come up with investigation, so each character earns 2 XP for
should be permitted. This allows the players to finishing the adventure. Defeating the qallupilluk
have a greater role in the adventure rather than be earns each character 1 XP and banishing the anirniq
railroaded to a predetermined conclusion. Some yields 1 XP. The character talented or lucky enough
general possibilities are: to land the final blow that kills the qallupilluk earns
1 additional XP.
• Violent characters may opt to turn the three
whalers over to the anirniq.
• The characters can convince the mayor and
other leading townsfolk to rename Qisik in
honor of the whale. Convincing the town
to do so is a Daunting Difficulty.
• Holding a festival in remembrance of the
whale’s contribution to Qisik. Convincing
the townsfolk to do so is a Challenging
Difficulty, but lowers to Average after
Benjy is rescued since the characters will
be viewed as heroes.

If the anirniq is banished prior to Benjy’s rescue,

defeating the qallupilluk and returning Benjy to his
70

appendix
Inuit folktales speak of angakkuit able to perform sample atiq
impossible feats. The most learned could fly, control
the weather, and assume the shape of animals. The knowledge of Atiq has been passed down from
While these fantastic talents are left absent from generation to generation. This means there is a
the main text of Angakkuit, this appendix provides common body of lore among angakkuit, a collection
rules for their inclusion. Introducing these powers of often-accessed gifts. However, the Game Master
can alter the feel of the game, so each Game Master is free to invent his own Atiq or allow creative
is encouraged to permit or disallow them as he or players to do so.
she sees fit.
XP and Favor costs are listed for each Atiq, as well
as the effects and Difficulties. A spirit’s boon lasts
atiq for an entire scene. As previously mentioned, Favor
is spent whether the action succeeds or fails while
As angakkuit grow in prowess, they are able to Experience Points are only spent for a successful
borrow power from the spirits of the Land. These draw. Normal rules for spending Favor still apply,
gifts are called Atiq and are costly to employ. but Aces present no complications. Calling upon
Utilizing Atiq requires expenditure of both Favor the spirits is a request and not a demand. Therefore,
and Experience Points (XP). There are also two there is no backlash from a spirit should the action
prerequisites to accessing these powers: fail. Invoking Atiq is not the same as fighting spirits
(see Chapter Five).
• A character’s Wisdom rank must be 5.
• Tales and Songs must be a primary Ability. Some Atiq grant fantastic powers such as flight,
resistance to the cold, the ability to breath
Wisdom is always the governing Attribute for underwater, etc. However, many Atiq merely boost
Atiq and Tales and Songs is always the relevant a character’s characteristics. For these boons, a
Ability; XP and Favor costs vary as do Difficulty character’s Attribute rank increases by one rank and
levels. Calling upon a spirit’s power involves a one of the character’s Abilities is boosted to primary
ritual that typically lasts an hour or two. However, status. Both of these advantages last for an entire
Atiq can be called on immediately, albeit at one scene.
Difficulty level higher than normal. When calling
upon the spirits of the Land, failure is always a Animal spirits are called upon most often, though
possibility. The spirits are fickle and do not always other aspects of the Land grant power as well. It is
grant power to an angakkuq. When drawing cards possible to call upon the power of various spirits
to access Atiq, a failure still costs the appropriate at the same time, but it is an extremely draining
amount of Favor; Experience Points are only spent gamble.
if the action is successful. For Atiq, there are no
successive attempts. If a character’s draw fails, the Arctic Char: This fish allows a character to ignore
action may not be attempted again. However, other the effects of hypothermia, breath underwater and
spirits may still be called upon. grants Athletics (Water) as a primary Ability for

Calling Upon Spirits in Advance

During a ritual, when a character calls upon a spirit, the boons do not occur at that precise
moment, unless that is the character’s desire. Instead, the character is asking for assistance for
a future scene. For example, if a character is preparing to descend into an abandoned mine to
confront a monster, the ritual is performed in advance of the confrontation. The character asks
for assistance and, if successful, the boon kicks in when the fight begins.
 71

swimming. The cost for this boon is 2 Favor and 2 Difficulty to access this Atiq is Challenging.
XP. The Difficulty to access this Atiq is Challenging.
Sun: Earning the aid of Sun can cause temporary
Arctic Fox: The fox simultaneously grants an snow blindness in an opponent. The enemy’s Attack
extra rank of Quickness while temporarily making and Defense Difficulties are decreased by one level
Evasion a primary Ability. The cost for this boon is each, though they cannot drop below Average. The
2 Favor and 1 XP. The Difficulty to access this Atiq is cost for this boon is 3 Favor and 4 XP. The Difficulty
Average. to access this Atiq is Challenging.

Arctic Wolf: This predator grants an extra rank Walrus: The walrus’s thick skin provides extra
of Awareness while temporarily making Tracking a protection from attacks during a fight scene.
primary Ability. The cost for this boon is 2 Favor and Successful Endurance draws allow a character to
1 XP. The Difficulty to access this Atiq is Average. absorb all damage instead of just half the damage
for an attack. The cost for this boon is 3 Favor and 3
Beluga: Calling upon this underwater spirit allows XP. The Difficulty to access this Atiq is Challenging.
a character to ignore the effects of hypothermia
while granting Athletics (Water) as a primary Ability Wind: The character calls upon the Land to
for swimming. The cost for this boon is 2 Favor and 1 summon or dispel a windstorm. The cost for this
XP. The Difficulty to access this Atiq is Challenging. boon is 2 Favor and 2 XP. Regular windstorms carry
an Average Difficulty while fierce windstorms are
Bowhead Whale: This whale’s bony skull can Challenging.
make for a surprising fight. It grants an extra rank
of Strength while temporarily making Punch/Kick a
primary Ability. However, the characters must head
butt her opponent for the Punch/Kick advantage. The
cost for this boon is 1 Favor and 1 XP. The Difficulty
to access this Atiq is Average.

Polar Bear: This recognizable staple of the Arctic

grants an extra rank of Strength while temporarily
making Athletics (Water) a primary Ability. The cost
for this boon is 2 Favor and 1 XP. The Difficulty to
access this Atiq is Average.

Seal: The seal grants immunity from hypothermia

and frostbite. The cost for this boon is 2 Favor and 1
XP. The Difficulty to access this Atiq is Average.

Skin of the Beast: An angakkuq can assume the

form of any animal. While in animal form, the
character has all the natural traits of the animal
while maintaining her intellect. Clothing and
gear must be stashed or otherwise handled prior
to the transformation. The cost for this boon is 4
Favor and 5 XP. The Difficulty to access this Atiq is
Challenging.

Snow: The character calls upon the Land to

summon or dispel a snowstorm. The cost for this
boon is 3 Favor and 2 XP. Regular storms carry an
Average Difficulty while blizzards carry a Challenging
Difficulty.

Snowy Owl: This owl grants flight to an angakkuq.

The cost for this boon is 2 Favor and 3 XP. The