This looks like a lot of fun! Through the course of reading it I thought up a couple of characters I think would be way fun to play in this game.

Here are some thoughts/questions I had while reading:

1. Maybe this was intentional, but I can't really tell if there should actually be a monster or if it's all imagined.
2. The sentence following "Offer rewards to turn and run" on the final page is incomplete.
3. I think I could benefit from an "Example game" section in each phase illustrating how interaction with the darkness could go in that phase. Especially in the Deep Dark phase, which is the fuzziest for me.
4. I think the prep phase is the most exciting to me. I love the idea of an rpg where properly preparing for the adventure is as important to the adventure as actually going (as long as it's fun, which this seems like it would be)
5. Bravery paragraph 2: "Each time you would lose bravery below 0,either another kid must put themselves at risk to protect you, or you run away crying, but gain +1maximum bravery and restore a point of lost bravery afterwards." I'm unclear on whether you gain 1 point to max bravery any time you go negative on bravery, or only when you run away crying? When you run away crying are you just out for the current challenge? Or is that character out for longer?
   
   
   

I decided to submit this a little early and continually work on that to see how itch behaves. Feedback appreciated