We all know that Dicebreaker’s own Johnny Chiodini loves Blades in the Dark, the tabletop RPG where a gang of criminals pull off heists, so we wanted to give him a lovely Christmas treat in the form of a one-shot that he has to GM for us.
There’s a reason why Blades in the Dark is one of the best fantasy RPGs (that aren’t Dungeon & Dragons) out there; not only is the game’s setting a fascinating piece of world-building, but it’s also incredibly easy to start playing. Players in Blades in the Dark form their very own organisation of scoundrels with an identity, hideout and general ethos, whose goal is to successfully steal as much wealth as they can without getting caught.
Each gang is made up of a collection of character archetypes that represent the different types of criminals present in the city of Doskvol; there’s the Cutter, the Hound, the Leech, the Lurk, the Slide, the Spider and the Whisper. These archetypes work together as a group to complete thefts across the city, with each heist being made up of a series of flashbacks wherein everyone imagines how they prepared for the job and play that situation out.
However, players will have to be careful to not attract too much attention as it can have devastating consequences in the world of Blades in the Dark, with rival gangs responding to hot competition and any deaths bringing the wrath of the terrifying Spirit Wardens. Jobs should be undertaken quietly with as little fallout as possible - after all, you are professional criminals.
In this game of Blades in the Dark, the Dicebreaker team attempts to pull off the ultimate yuletide heist, Ocean’s Eleven style, with one swell-looking Christmas party to attend and a lot of suspicious guards to avoid.
Expect a collection of aesthetically unappealing nicknames, a series of embarrassing burglar mistakes and an appearance from one very special guest. Will the Dicebreaker scoundrels make it out with the loot and their lives? Watch part one above before concluding our adventure in part two below.
