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Thanks! And whoops! The starting section got lost in the shuffle between editing. Initially intended it PCs to start in the top middle section, but randomly picking any top row section would work. For starting gear, I'd say either option depending on how difficult you want it to be! There is the possibility of finding necessary gear while exploring. 

(I'd love to revisit this adventure someday to flesh out those sorts of options)

The ambiguity is part of the magic!

Thanks!! And I fully admit I was pushing the interpretation of the title. The concept of the diver and sub kinda just popped into my head and it was too much fun to not pursue it (my tenuous excuse/connection is that since the nuckelavee is traditionally a malevolent water spirit, and the sub is kinda spooky and underwater...). Maybe when I eventually revisit this someday, the Diver will become more monstrous in appearance to match the actual nuckelavee lololol. 

- Super clean/minimalist layout. 

- Big fan of dinosaurs! This just feels like it would be a fun adventure to run. 

- Interesting factions that give a lot of flavor to the adventure. 

- Would be very cool to see this expanded in the future!

- It being one hex would make this very fun to slot into other hexcrawls (I know this is written for Shadowdark, but it feels like it could also be used in Mythic Bastionland). 

- Very readable layout!

- Compact but still very evocative and interesting locations. Would be very fun to get this to the table. 

- Killer art and map! (The white text on red bg is a touch tricky to read in the longer paragraphs - but it really does look good). 

- I like that there's a bit of a looping path in the dungeon! Looks like it would be very fun to get to the table. 

- Fantastic use of the cover also having the map!

- Really fun setting! A lot of usable information packed in there. 

- Diamond system is a nice way to indicate difficulty (could be used as a way to guide conversions to different systems). 

- Plenty of room to expand the whole hexcrawl, if that's something you ever wanted to do!

- Really great cover design!

- Evocative character creation. 

- The watch cycle is very cool, feels like it would be fun to run solo as well. 

- "Waking up" to the dungeon at the journey's end is very evocative. I adore the black lake and the way it mirrors space. Are you slipping into some magical swim-skin? Are you donning a space suit? Really great stuff. Would love to see this whole thing expanded on in the future in a format that would give everything a little more room to breath. 

- Absolutely killer! Love the cover/graphic design and the premise is so cool. 

- The interaction of the factions and violence track is great, feels like there's some really good replayability here too.

- Really charming illustrations!

- Very fun premise, reminds me of something out of a classic sci-fi B-movie. 

- The council leader rule for the funnel is fun!

- All the pieces needed to run the funnel are there and it seems like it would play well at the table, would honestly love to see this expanded on in the future. 

- Really dig the cover/graphic design! 

- Very evocative writing throughout (the intro really sets the mood). The word play of Draw Blood/Draw Steel is fun. 

- Draw Steel is a total blindspot for me, so can't comment on the mechanics of it, but it all seems well thought out!

- Really great creature descriptions. 

- I definitely think this adventure would work well with an expanded page count if you ever decide to do that. 

Half-letter/digest page size and including everything it's a compact 16 pages. 

Pretty much hit the nail on the head! There are no explicit mechanics for what you get from communing with the FDM or getting infected by it. 

The two could be linked (get infected, now try and commune with it to find a cure or something). I like to think of the FDM as rather, cosmic horror eldritch. What exactly is it? Why is it consuming everything in its path? Communing with it could lead you toward those answers (or something else entirely depending on how the setting is unfolding in your game). 

And for the infection, I like the idea of taking a level in FRGMT. You could also create a new ability the infection grants you, but one that comes at a great cost (impending death, total takeover by the will of the FDM, spread the infection unwittingly, etc).

Nice layout and art can always be a plus, but at the same time there's nothing wrong with a simple presentation if that's all the game really needs. I think it would be worth it if you find yourself adding extra/supplementary material to the game!

Thanks for the catch! Just updated those files with the correction.

Send me an email at ostrichmonkey.games@gmail.com and I'll set you up with a download code!

I love these!!

Thanks!! And this link should take you there! (I'll update the link in the main description too.)

https://www.worldchamp.io/store/iyiar2d0um44grcq2rn5a0tovdvwe8

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this is so incredibly cool! Absolutely fantastic read, killer vibes, and I can't wait to see future installments!

This was such a cool thing to both participate in and see unfold!

Thanks!! Happy to hear people are enjoying the new character options! There'll probably be even more eventually (I've got some half-ideas for new archetypes), though the next major update might be more focused on dungeon/hex procedures.

I typically go with whatever is highest (unless you want things to be more difficult/fragile, and then go with the lowest value you have a level in).

But yes, you'd be correct! Taking a level in a different class can be a nice bump to hits if you want it (though again, this is also a lever you can adjust in your own games to vary difficulty, which I should have explained more fully in the text, just slipped through the cracks). Probably something I'd address more fully if there's ever a revised edition or something.

I think it's supposed to come with the PDF, so you might want to get in touch with Plus One to double check. Otherwise, feel free to grab a community copy from the itch page here (if they run out too soon, let me know, and I can always top them up, or send you a key later). 

Hope you enjoy the physical copy!

Thanks for the catch, I've just updated both files with the proper text!

Managed to squeeze it down some, and just added it to the downloads!

Yes! Though "hibernation" might be a better description right now. Layout is on pause for the time being since the layout artist is also lead designer on a pretty major project that has much higher priority (I've also been part of the same project, and it has devoured most of my dev time the past months). There are some plans to get things all wrapped up, and that should all be this year! 

I've got ideas for future expansions that I still want to do someday, but no timeline on those right now! Anyways, end of this month, I will finally release the bonus content (either as text-only, or with a different temporary layout).

For the curious, this is the aforementioned project!

https://bsky.app/profile/evilhat.bsky.social/post/3klz5pk67k22k

There's no map for this version of the Riverlands!

Technically, there exists an old, old map of an earlier iteration of this setting (the whole globe, not very detailed), but I think it is lost on an older computer, alas. If I do ever find it, I will drop it here, moreso as a fun curiosity than any sort of "canon" though, lol.

I think I was originally working with a word count and either cut or forgot about incursion specific drives, whoops!

I'd say "seek the engine" or even just "survive" work as solid universal drives, or reinterpreting regular Gold drives, or extrapolating a drive based on the background + occupation combo would all work!

Hope the sessions go well, and feel free to drop me a line about any other questions (though it was been a minute since I've done anything Trophy hahaha).

An action roll is basically anything that would be risky or carry consequence. That can includes using a Token outside of the normal effects outlined in its description. If a Token says it deals damage, you don't need to roll to deal the damage, just pay the Flow cost.

That's the limit on stealing an elemental tag per scene!

They have access to any desperation dice they've unlocked, and can use as many as they want! So the more ticks on the Countdown Timer, the more DD they could use on any given roll, but the more likely they are to attract the attention of the Watchers. Which is generally a bad thing (but can be a fun thing).

It can be easy for player's to stack bonuses (which, is intended lol)! Activating a token that deals damage does not require a roll, correct! And yeah, if a player is attempting to do something outside the "regular" effect of a Token, then calling for an action roll is appropriate. But any immediate effect of the Token only costs the stated Flow.

Also, if you're looking for other ways to tweak the challenge, given how much damage players can output when they're creative/lucky, adjusting the overall stakes of the scene is a good idea! Different time limits, environmental changes (I ran a session where the battlefield shifted to be in the middle of "traffic" and players had to dodge cars and stuff on top of dealing with the enemies), changing the parameters of a mission, all of that sort of stuff is a great GM tool to keep in your pocket. And all of those challenges would fall under "changing the battle in a big way" too!

So! During the GM turn, "change the battle in a big way" doesn't have much in the way of limits! The three provided examples in the text are just ways to get started. 

The "default" setting for enemies and their moves is that the GM activates them in response to failures/partial successes after a player's action roll. But, if the GM wants, those moves can also be activated during the GM turn to make the enemies more dangerous (potentially letting them activate their moves multiple times/deal damage multiple times).  You could activate as many enemy moves during the GM turn as you want, depending on how dangerous you want those enemies to feel. 

There's not a specific rule for the order or which enemies act during the GM turn. I personally tend to lean toward less dangerous enemies, but for more balanced challenge, having the "bigger" enemies (striker/solo) also act during the GM turn and leaving minions out of it could work well. 

If you find that a particular enemy gets taken out too quickly, you can also use the GM turn to introduce more enemies (or maybe even play around with the idea of a second or third "phase" of the fight with strikers/solos/bosses).

If I had had some more foresight, some "swarm" or "large group" rules for minions would have been cool (might make it into a re-edited version eventually though). 

Hope that answered your question, but I'm happy to continue the discussion!

Thanks for catching that one!

No problem! I keep meaning to make an update on this anyway. Beneath the Mirror is fully written and is in the layout process. Rae (the layout artist) has had several very important projects to manage that have had to take priority the past year (insane that it's been a year!) so there's no current ETA on when the PDF version of the expansion material will be out, but hopefully sooner than later.

Right now I'm considering releasing a "just the text" version so that people finally can have it. Which could happen maybe toward the end of this month? I'm also under some tight deadlines for other projects, so admittedly, the BtM release has just managed to keep getting pushed back!

There's some other half-plans for the future of Vibe Check as well, but I'm gonna wait to share more on that until more things are set in stone.

You're welcome! Bummer that the table isn't having fun with the current level of challenge though. The game is designed to be pretty over the top, kind of "here for a good time, not a long time", so super lengthy "traditional" campaigns may not be the best fit as-written right now (I see the campaign length as closer to 3-6 sessions, but each table is going to be different). I don't want this to come across as dismissive or anything, but right now the game is functioning as-designed (though I will admit the sale stacking issue is something that I completely overlooked😩), so there's only so much I can offer as suggestions!

That being said, there's nothing stopping your table from changing things within the game to try and align it better with what you're looking to get out of it. Off the top of my head, the easiest elements to adjust are enemy HP and the cost of items, if you're looking to draw out fights and make buying things more challenging. You can also increase the narrative stakes, but that's going to depend entirely on what's happening at your table, so I can't offer much in specific examples there unfortunately.

As for the Metallic Shout bonus, I think it's still fun! But if it feels "weak" you can also push what exactly "rip and tear" means. Why stop at something physical? Maybe with enough juice, a Player can rip and tear through the veil that separates the City and the Inversion itself? The effect is as strong as however you choose to interpret it. 

I sincerely hope that you can find the fun you're looking for in the game and I'm more than happy to keep discussing ways to tweak things to suit what you're looking for!

I appreciate you taking the time to write all this up! Gonna try and address each point best I can; 

1. Thanks for pointing that out! I'll make sure it gets filed for updating (unfortunately, some higher priority projects are currently ongoing, so I can't say when that update will happen). 

2. Copying the reply from another thread, but for both Favored Primordia and Metallic Shout, both those core bonuses are more narrative rather than hard mechanics: "For "rip and tear" its largely narrative! You might interpret it to mean that you now can rip through an enemy's armor or tear through a barrier. The exact effect is largely up to the table!" Those bonuses are more about setting up "fictional positioning" within the current situation vs some sort of stat bonus. They more directly benefit action rolls in that sense. 

3. HP source being hard to find is definitely a known issue 😩 . Hopefully you were able to find the answer, but just in case, HP all comes from the Looks you have equipped.

For the play questions!

1. Looks (and enemies, and everything else that references a Tier) cap out at Tier 3! Though nothing is stopping you from going higher with Tiers if you wanted! The only major thing that would need tweaking would be some specific Token effects, but otherwise Looks and Enemies could just keep scaling up (I think). 

2. Cash drops are high! Also like you pointed out, some builds (like the Flow stacker) can kind of break the game! That's pretty much working as intended. The LUMEN system that Vibe Check is running off of goes all in on the power fantasy, basically showering players in stuff. It's kind of the opposite of more "trad game" style of character progression. The sort of "philosophical goal" of most LUMEN games is to give the players the cool toys they want to play with upfront, and then see what happens!

3. This one's tricky! Players definitely can output a ton of damage very quickly when working together. You could try to throw some Bosses (using the templates) their way, to see if that changes anything, but also don't forget that on the GM Turn, you can also introduce more enemies! Additionally, there are other ways to create challenge outside of just enemy stats/density. Shifting the environment to become more dangerous or changing the mission type so that the players need to swap their tactics are good places to start. Also, are the players having fun wiping the floor with the enemies? Again, that kind of goes back to the wild power fantasy of LUMEN: lots of powerful toys. If the challenge aspect is really eating at you, I'd talk it over with your players and see what they think! If everyone agrees and wants more challenge, then bumping up enemy HP, decreasing cash drops (or increasing costs of everything instead) are fairly straightforward levels to adjust. If you're concerned about diagetically making those changes, well, maybe a Watcher isn't happy with how successful the Players have become and forces a reset!

4-6. This one kind of goes into the above response! If the players are having fun getting the cool loot, personally I don't necessarily see a drastic reason to change that, but if everyone wants more difficulty, then definitely adjust it! Every table is always going to be a little different in their goals. Also for the last part of 6, that concern does make sense! The intent of the random Tokens is to encourage players to always be trying out new strategies (and Looks). But if players are really wanting a specific Token and it just isn't coming up when rolling, then you can drop it in a store either to buy, or maybe as a side mission reward.

7. A little tongue in cheek, but they do do a lot of shopping in the TWEWY games 😆. But if you think that that doesn't make sense in your version of the Inversion, then absolutely change it! Could turn into an element of the narrative, like, maybe the shops are still open but the Players can't enter them. Now there's a new story hook to follow to see what has restricted their access!

TWEWY is also one of my favorite games of all time! Though I took inspiration from different elements, so the slower growth you're looking for isn't necessarily as hard-coded in Vibe Check. You mention that players effortlessly clearing the challenges isn't fun, and genuine question, are the players having fun doing that? It sounds like that no-challenge element is frustrating for you as the GM, which sucks! The GM needs to be having as much fun as the rest of the players! It's absolutely worth discussing this with your players to figure out the best way to adjust things so that everyone at the table is having fun. 

I'm always happy to talk about ways to "tweak some game settings" so to speak!

Ooh! That's a good question and not something I had considered! There is currently no "Tier 4" level to upgrade something to, so I could see maybe it becomes a "buy-one-get-free" sale (two items at +1 Tier for no extra cost), maybe you get an extra tag on that item, maybe it can count as two Brands (like how the Looks the Watchers can drop work). I'd pick something that seems fun and rewarding and that makes that Look feel particularly special!

Just gives more excuses to get more Looks! Hope the game goes well!

Well then I'll definitely make sure that makes it into the next update! (If the stat drops are from the starting Looks, I think it's fair to allow some rerolls if it ends up being untenable lol).