The Specialist
You plumb a narrow field, entrenched in academia. Knowledge and reputation are tightly entangled. At this point, which is the goal and which is the means?
| Goal | Solve the mystery and show them all |
| Boon | Education and peer review |
| Bane | Distractions, dismissal, and peer review |
| Catnip | Advance or demonstrate your field |
| Mania | Force the data and force them to listen |
| Setup | What institution do you need to impress? Who there loves you and who there hates you? |
| Grounding | Whose approval do you truly need? What will you do once you're respected? Who gave you your start? |
| Flair | NEET sweatpants / Hazmat suit / Starched dress shirt |
| Opus | Smart mouse colony / Teeth-replacing smoothie / Orbital delivery drone |
| Fiend | Staring encyclopedia / Swiss-army rodent / Living goggles |
Deep Research
Keep a journal. Start it with five questions about your field that you can tangibly investigate or test. Ex:
- How do dragons float?
- How do flatslugs choose mates?
- How can I broadcast to the moon?
- Was there intelligent life in New York?
- Are Germans predisposed to evil?
- What happens if you give a robot dreams?
On a successful relevant Move, you may answer a question and add two more. Increase your fresh data value by 1.
Present a Theory
When you present findings for the approval of an institution, guess what the judges want to see, and roll plus fresh data.
What is your style as a presenter? What are your elaborate visual aids?
10+: Standing ovation. You've blown their minds. Choose 2 rewards, and reset your fresh data value to 0.
7-9: Not bad, kid. You've won over some of them. Choose 1 reward, and reduce your fresh data value to half.
- A funding Asset
- A prestige Asset
- A critical answer
- A new ally
- A mission with a reward
6-: Oh god, this is just like that dream! You get laughed or shouted out of the room. What needs to happen for them to hear you out again?
Expedition
You can initiate a group research trip through a friendly institution. Decide what this costs, what this risks, and how this limits your actions. Take +1 to every relevant Move during the trip.
How does the group, or one interesting member, look and sound?
Lab Space
When you Invent / Repair with access to someone else's facilities, take +1.
What quirks must you adapt to? How do you treat other people's things?
10+ extra option:
- Impress someone here
7-9 extra option:
- Break something someone else is going to need
6-: Choose a third disaster; either take harm to your rep, or sacrifice something to cover up your failure.