The Between is a tabletop roleplaying game about a group of mysterious monster hunters in Victorian-era London. The hunters are residents of a place called Hargrave House, and their job is to investigate and neutralize monstrous threats terrorizing the city—threats that Scotland Yard won’t or can’t handle themselves. As the story progresses, they become aware of the plans of a Moriarty-style criminal mastermind they will eventually have to confront in order to save Queen and country.

We’re raising funds to create three hardcover books. The first is The Between, which includes the core rules of the game—updated and expanded from its original release—7 character playbooks, 11 monstrous Threats, and 1 Mastermind. The second is Shadow Society, an expansion for the game that includes 2 additional character playbooks, 10 monstrous Threats, 1 Mastermind, and new guidelines and rules for exploring the mysteries of Hargrave House, the bizarre mansion where the hunters work and live. Suns of Another World offers three entirely new settings for the game, each with their own playbooks, Threats, and Masterminds: The Between: Ghosts of El Paso, The Between: Unsinkable, and The Between: Court of Wolves. Each book will be hardcover, full color interior, A5 size (roughly 6"x9"), and approximately 200 pages.

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The Between is a groundbreaking supernatural investigation game for 1 Keeper (GM) and up to 4 players. It uses the innovative and beloved Carved from Brindlewood mystery system first seen in Brindlewood Bay, where even the Keeper doesn’t know the solution to each case! The game is directly inspired by the gothic horror TV show Penny Dreadful, but also takes inspiration from British horror classics, graphic novels like From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and pulp-era stories.

In The Between, you play a group of mysterious monster-hunters. They have each run away from a dark and dreadful past, and have found themselves within the walls of Hargrave House. There, they learn about monsters and serial killers stalking the streets of London, and must combine their wits and talents in order to stop them. In the beginning, very little is known about each hunter, but more of their troubling backstory is revealed as the game progresses, and in the end, each will face a reckoning.

The Vessel is a magic user; they allow dark, supernatural entities to enter their body in order to fuel powerful rituals. Throughout the game, you learn about their history with these dark entities as well as their time with a coven of witches that tried to use their talents for evil ends. The Vessel can perform dark rites, use divination tools, conduct investigations by drawing supernatural entities to them, and more. Play the Vessel if you want to explore dark rituals and what it feels like to be in control of dangerous things.

The American is a gun-slinger from America’s Wild West. They grew up with great privilege but abandoned it for frontier life. Along the way, they picked up a curse that sometimes changes them into a feral beast. Throughout the game, you’ll explore how they came to leave their privileged life and why they eventually fled to London. The American is an excellent shot, a terrific storyteller, a master of disguise, and more. Play the American if you want to solve problems with violence, or if you’re interested in being an outsider. 

The Mother is a highly-talented doctor and scientist. They lost someone they love and are using that heartbreak to fuel their creation: a person crafted from the body parts of other people, given life by experimental, alchemical processes. Throughout the game, you will be exploring their past with the person they lost, and why they were driven to create a new form of life. Play the Mother if you want to use science and medicine to solve problems, or if you want to delight in blood and guts. 

The Undeniable is an immortal being of incomparable physical beauty. They have been worshipped as a god for much of their lives and a cult dedicated to them is active in London. Throughout the game, you’ll be learning about the artistic masterwork that bears the scars of the Undeniable’s wickedness, as well as their history with the artist who created it.  Play the Undeniable if you want to be extremely powerful, occasionally villainous, and focused on sensory experiences. 

The Explorer is a member of the upper class. They made their name and fortune mapping the unexplored parts of the world for the Crown. They are also the rival of the criminal mastermind Hargrave House will eventually have to face. Throughout the game, you’ll be exploring the story of a young man whose village was terrorized by the Explorer when the Explorer was camped there during an expedition. Play the Explorer if you want to move in elite social circles, use money and other resources to solve problems, and be a rival to the game’s main antagonist.

The Factotum is a servant of one of the other hunters. They are a highly skilled operator—resourceful and practical. When the other hunters are mired in darkness, the Factotum is busy getting the job done. Throughout the game, you’ll explore their professional past and how they came to be a servant. Play the Factotum if you want to be highly effective, or if you want to explore what it’s like to have your personal goals and dignity subsumed by another’s. 

The Orphan (Playbook) is a special playbook that isn’t immediately available to us; it is unlocked after certain conditions on The Mother playbook are met.

London is plagued by monsters and serial killers—terrors that Hargrave House must deal with because Scotland Yard can’t (or won’t). The core book includes 11 such terrors, called Threats, each containing all the Side Characters, Locations, Dangers, and Clues needed to run the scenario. 

The St. James's Street Ghost: The Beales of 18 St. James’s Street are in a terrible predicament: their townhouse is being terrorized by a malignant spirit. The ghost has already taken the life of their maid, and it seems no one in the house is safe so long as the haunting continues. Hargrave House investigates in order to learn how to quiet the ghost so it can pass into the next world. They may also learn how to make contact with ghosts, a feat that may prove helpful in future investigations.

The Limehouse Lurker: Bodies are turning up in Limehouse, completely drained of blood. Hargrave House knows it’s a vampire, but something about the initial report indicates the undead monster has the physical body of a child. An old vampire must be dealt with in a very different way from a young vampire, and so Hargrave House must initially determine if the vampire is truly adolescent or if it’s actually an ancient being in a small body.

Sally No-Face: A killer is stalking the streets of London. Their calling card? The victim’s faces have been removed with surgical precision. Panic sets in across the city, with some believing the killer is Sally No-Face, an urban legend reborn. Scotland Yard has had no luck capturing the perpetrator, and so Hargrave House steps in. But which approach to take? Finding the killer’s lair? Drawing the killer to them? Learning what makes the killer tick in order to bring them in peacefully? 

The Whateley Camera: A young actress went missing after being photographed by the Society Obscura, a secretive club for photography enthusiasts. Hargrave House cares less about missing actresses than something in the Society’s possession: the Whateley Camera, a known object of power said to contain the consciousness of a powerful extradimensional being. Recovering the Whateley Camera and discovering how it acts as a portal to another world is a matter of the utmost urgency.

The Creature of Cremorne Gardens: A number of people report being terrorized by a “fish-like man” in and around the Cremorne pleasure gardens. Rumors suggest the creature can even lure people to a watery doom with the use of a hypnotic song. Hargrave House investigates to determine if the fish man is real, or simply a hoax perpetrated by someone with a financial incentive to see Cremorne Gardens fail. 

Figg's Piggs: Pie maker Titus Figg is arrested after it’s revealed his famous Figg’s Pigg pie contains human meat. Titus’s three family members—wife La Hortencia, eldest son Obert the Blade, and youngest son Patrick—managed to escape capture, and Scotland Yard has asked Hargrave House to help track them down. The loose Figgs are extremely dangerous, and pursuing them will force Hargrave House to face a level of darkness and depravity they have only imagined before—to say nothing of the pagan swine god, Moc’h.

The King in Shadows: Madness plagues the streets, reality unravels at the seams, and the Occluded King will soon arrive. A strange play haunts London, and all Hargrave House knows for certain is a title: The King in Shadows. As the hunters seek out a performance, they soon find themselves questioning... is all the world indeed a stage? COME AND SEE. COME AND SEE.

There are also four special Threats associated with particular playbooks: The Coven, The Cursed, The Pinkerton, and The Orphan (Threat).

Behind the scenes is a puppet master pulling the strings, a legendary tactician manipulating both Hargrave House and their monstrous prey in order to bring about the downfall of the Crown. Her name is Theodora Brathwaite, and she is a woman to be feared. In her youth, Mrs. Brathwaite was the infamous “Pirate Queen of Barbuda.” In more recent years, she’s turned her eye to more legal (and lucrative) exploits, making her the (second) richest woman in the British Empire. Over the course of a single campaign arc, Hargrave House will learn more about Mrs. Brathwaite’s past, and her motives for wanting to destroy the Queen. They will have to deduce what her ultimate scheme is, and then confront her in order to save the Crown.

Shadow Society is an expansion for The Between, featuring new playbooks, new Threats, a new Mastermind, and new rules for exploring the mysteries of Hargrave House.

The Unquiet is the ghost of a hunter who lived in Hargrave House many decades ago. They were betrayed by one of their contemporaries, and are now haunting Hargrave House until they can destroy the descendant of the one who betrayed them. They will help the current residents of Hargrave House until they are able to exact their revenge. The Unquiet is a fascinating character to play because their ghostly nature gives them both limitations and advantages. During the Day, they can only communicate through indirect means, and in order to leave the house at Night, they have to summon up reserves of spectral energy. On the other hand, they have an intimate connection to both the spirit realm and the history of Hargrave House itself, which allows them to solve present-day problems using the past, and to leave remnants of when they were alive for the current hunters to find and use.

The Legacy is a classic monster hunter character, inspired by Van Helsing, Castlevania, Bloodborne, and so forth. Everyone at Hargrave House is a monster hunter, but the Legacy is the only one born to do it. They are trying to escape their family's brutal, bloody past, but not before they take down the Beast, a creature that has tormented their bloodline for generations. The Beast is a new Threat associated with The Legacy playbook. It's unique from other Threats in the game in that it's largely undefined in the beginning. The player of The Legacy actually holds onto the sheet until it's time to face the Beast, and they fill in the details throughout play, creating a truly unique final confrontation!

The Spider Silk Seamstress:  This Threat introduces the world of the Fae to The Between. Sir Richard Harlowe, an ally of Hargrave House, has been found dead, hollowed out and wrapped in silk-like threads. Hargrave House learns that a Fae creature in the guise of an alluring fashion designer is behind the murder. Can they stop the Fae creature before she claims more victims among London's social elite?

The Demon of Kilburn Abbey: This Threat introduces demonic terrors to The Between. The monks of Kilburn Abbey are being tormented by an unholy entity after recent renovation work: the corpse of a young girl was found walled up in the abbey, and whatever dark force she summoned to her while trapped there is now loose in the world. Can Hargrave House banish the demon... or will they choose a darker path that sees them trying to control it for their own ends?

The St. Petersburg Mirror: As with The Whateley Camera from the core rulebook, this Threat focuses on an object of power. A young civil servant is being blackmailed by shadowy forces that use a supposed medium, Madam Serafima, to gather information about their marks. Hargrave House wouldn't normally be interested in such a matter, if not for some details that indicate Madam Serafima might possess an actual object of power, the legendary St. Petersburg Mirror. 

The West End Wraith: A Threat inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. A popular musical venue in the West End is being "haunted" by the so-called West End Wraith. But is the Wraith really a wraith? And are their intentions actually foul, or are their actions a misguided attempt to protect someone who works at the venue? Hargrave House investigates to uncover the truth of the matter.

The Reaver's Last Victim: This is the game's first Side Threat. A Side Threat is introduced like a regular Threat, but is investigated in a different way or has stakes beyond death and destruction. The Reaver's Last Victim is about the last, unfound victim of Roger the Reaver, a notorious killer who was a hunter of Hargrave House during his murder spree.

The Beadle: Hargrave House is called upon to reverse the Kafka-esque transformation of Harshe Oomen, the Beadle of Cornhill, who has inexplicably turned into an insect. This grotesque change may be the result of supernatural intervention involving a visit to the Cirque National or a consequence of Oomen's prayers; depending on the answer the hunters may proceed differently. During the Threat the hunters navigate themes of faith, identity, and metamorphosis, all while racing against time to prevent a wider catastrophe.

The Shoreditch Slugger: An underground fighting club is thrown into disarray with the arrival of an unusually strong, unbeatable fighter, nicknamed the Shoreditch Slugger. Hargrave House has no interest in boxing matches, but a hint that the Slugger's power might come from a supernatural source gets their attention.

The Miasma of Miswell Hill The Miswell Hill rookery is being tormented by a strange, poisonous miasma. Hargrave House investigates to determine if the source is supernatural in nature, or something entirely horrifying: a mundane device designed to kill the poor. The rookery in this beautifully-researched Threat is like an entire setting all its own. 

The Drowned Guardian of the Docks: An aquatic demon has been spotted near the docks, but is it actually a malevolent spirit, or is it something else—perhaps a misunderstood guardian of some sort? 

A new, terrifying enemy has appeared to challenge Hargrave House: Vice Admiral Flagg! Unlike Theodora Brathwaite, Admiral Flagg considers himself a loyal servant of the Queen. Unfortunately, that loyalty entails destroying the city of London itself, which Flagg considers to be the heart of rot, a stain on the British Empire. Admiral Flagg introduces elements of Lovecraftian horror to your campaign of The Between. He isn’t motivated by money or status, rather his time on HMS Chimaera, crossing the Northwest Passage… and the terrible, unspeakable things he found there.

Shadow Society has brand-new rules, guidelines, and lore for Hargrave House, the strange, impossible mansion on Belgrave Square where the hunters live and work. As you play the game, you unlock rooms in the house that give your hunters access to new resources and abilities; Side Characters from resolved Threats become residents of the house so your hunters can take advantage of their talents and expertise; and the deep lore of the mansion rises to the surface, presenting the hunters with new challenges—and new opportunities. The house continues to expand over the course of multiple sessions and seasons of play. Masterminds are defeated, hunters are killed or retired, players leave and join your game—no matter the changes to your campaign table, Hargrave House continues on.

Every room in Hargrave House has secrets, and as your monster-hunters discover them, they get access to new resources and abilities. The Trophy Room contains all manner of monstrous heads and hides—trophies captured by hunters past—and clues you can use for your present-day hunts. Glimpse into the spaces between worlds in the Solarium. Get patched up in the Infirmary, the workspace of Dr. Gastrell, a former hunter in residence. The Binding Room allows you to trap demons in order to aid you in your nightly exploits. Intimate moments with another hunter in the Servants Quarters lead to greater insights about the city and each other. The Crimson Suite contains traces of powerful blood magic, a remnant of its former resident, Julius, the Vampire King of London. The Conservatory was the favorite room of Roger the Reaver, a serial killer whose loose ends you will be called upon to deal with should you explore this room. The Secret Womb is where new life is created. The Grand Ballroom invites you to throw a party for diplomats from the Fae realm. The Seance Room lets you summon the ghosts of London to your cause. There are over 50 rooms to unlock!

As you resolve Threats around the city, Side Characters will join you at Hargrave House, adding their talents and expertise to the hunt. Jenny Johnston has a network of informants in East London. The enigmatic Man in the Sun Mask will discourse (endlessly, I fear) about other worlds and realities. Ragg, a street urchin, will rouse the wastrels of London in exchange for his little room beneath the kitchen stairs. Soft, delightsome Periwinkle makes for the perfect houseboy—and spy. Brother Elijah will cloister himself within the Gothic walls, and intervene with God on your behalf. Rabbi Rebekka Salomon, the world's foremost demonologist, can be convinced to re-join Hargrave House after years of quiet retirement. There are over 30 Side Characters waiting to take up residence!

Not every play group will get to explore the Deep Mysteries. But they are there... waiting. For those players who manage it, the perils—and rewards—are great. A new playbook, a new Threat, a new Mastermind... a whole new dimension running parallel to our own. What will you find trapped in the Arcane Prison? What secrets are hidden in the Founder's Archive? Who is the Great Wolf King propped precariously on his throne of bone?

Suns of Another World presents 3 new campaigns for the game: Ghosts of El Paso, Unsinkable, and Court of Wolves. Each campaign uses the core rules of The Between and comes with 6 playbooks, 10 Threats, 1 Mastermind, and supporting material for running the game in a new setting. Each campaign lasts for approximately 15 3-hour sessions of play.

Ghosts of El Paso is about a group of ghost hunters—the Vigilance Committee—in the township of El Paso, Texas in the late 19th century, after the War but before the first railroad came through. The Vigilance Committee is dealing with the effects of the Wounded Night, a seasonal phenomenon in El Paso that takes place in the Fall every six years, during which time the veil between the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead is thinned. The hunters learn about various ghostly threats around El Paso and conduct investigations in order to neutralize them. Over time, they become aware of the plans of a criminal mastermind who is pulling the strings behind the scenes. The hunters will eventually be forced to confront this mastermind in order to save their community. The Between: Ghosts of El Paso is inspired by Western films and TV shows such as Deadwood, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Quick and the Dead, and Unforgiven. It also takes inspiration from Texas folklore and urban legends, as well as the music of Johnny Cash and other artists.

The Marshal is the local peacekeeper. They are a leader in the community and have the ability to call town meetings, deputize citizens, and more. They are also a former criminal. During the game, you’ll explore how they try to balance their present day role with a past that keeps trying to catch up to them. Play the Marshal if you want to be a morally compromised leader, or if you want to be intimately connected to the citizens of El Paso.

The Bootstrapper is a ruthless saloon owner and entrepreneur. They use their connections and money to get their way, and are all-too-happy to crush dissenters. They helped build El Paso into what it is today, and consider themselves the town’s unofficial founder. Play the Bootstrapper if you want to be powerful and bend people to your will, or if you’d like to explore the fine line separating capitalism from corruption.

The Lost is a religious leader who has lost their way. They have a powerful faith—and an unmatched ability to touch people’s hearts—but frequently stray from their path. During the game, you’ll explore how they drift between piety and notoriety—how they summon the power of God in times of great need, and then disappoint that same God when times are good. Play the Lost if you want to be flawed and tormented and righteous—often all at once.

The Charlatan is a con artist, traveling from town-to-town in their wagon, prying money from the dirt-stained hands of the local yokels. They are masters of disguise and legerdemain, a silvered word always on their tongue and a sharpened blade always up their sleeve. They have joined the Vigilance Committee in the hopes of making contact with their supernatural mentor, Mr. Perdition. Play the Charlatan if you want to lie, cheat, and steal your way to success, or if you want to explore the possibility of an irredeemable character finding redemption.

The Inevitable is Death. They are trapped in the Land of the Living, inhabiting the body of an El Paso local who is a member of the Vigilance Committee. They have all the terrible powers of Death—a withering touch, a pale horse, a morbid tongue, a gloaming gaze—but in an entirely imperfect vessel. Play the Inevitable if you want to explore what it’s like to be a trapped outsider, or if you want to harness the power of the Land of the Dead to accomplish your goals.

The Kid is a myth in the making. They are also the bratty younger sibling of another hunter. They have been tasked by Providence and the Lady in Gold to kill any rival who calls them out—to offer them Salvation or Damnation—but they also live in the shadow of their older sibling, desperate to break out and make a name for themselves. Play the Kid if you want to explore what it’s like to live in another’s shadow, or if you want to be a shit-talkin’, fast-shootin’, legend-in-waiting.

Ghosts of El Paso includes a variety of spectral dangers to for the Committee to deal with, including: The Lady in White, a sorrowful ghost tormenting travelers on a nearby pass; The Daisy Man, a spectral bank robber threatening to destabilize the young township; The Grieving Town of Clear Springs, a nearby enclave surrounded by the drowned undead; Ghost-Be-Gone, a remedy for the Wounded Night that brings on a whole host new problems; The Corset, a terrifying object that might be responsible for the gruesome murders taking place in a local saloon; The Hunt for Rebel Gold, in which the Committee has to re-live the events of a bloody day in El Paso; The Ghost Riders of Sawtooth Ridge, in which a trio of revenants seeks revenge on the one who betrayed them in life; plus two secret Threats associated with Playbooks.

The Masterminds in Ghosts of El Paso are Mr. & Mrs. Reynolds, a hanged man and his wealthy wife who are trying to make way for a spectral train that will allow Mr. Reynolds to return from the afterlife—even if they have to destroy the town in order to do so.

Unsinkable is about a group of passengers onboard an ocean liner—the RMS Kronos—at the turn of the century. The Kronos has launched from Liverpool, is on her maiden voyage to New York City, and is currently making her way across the North Atlantic, in a part of the ocean that is home to a series of strange occurrences and obstacles—natural, supernatural, and manufactured. The player characters—a group of crew and passengers called the Ballast Class—experience certain events along their voyage and conduct their investigations into what is causing them. They eventually become aware of REDACTED, a nefarious individual trying to offer up the Kronos as a sacrifice to a dark god in the sea. The Ballast Class will eventually have to confront them and put a stop to this diabolical scheme. Unsinkable takes direct inspiration from the TV show 1899 and other nautical and sci-fi-themed media like The Poseidon Adventure, Titanic, and DARK. It also takes inspiration from real-life events and maritime legends. 

The Captain has the ability to direct the crew, call ship-wide meetings, and more. They have nothing left from their former life; the sea is their only home; the crew their only family. They use drugs or alcohol to dull the thoughts of their former life. During the game, you’ll explore how they try to maintain peace and direction onboard Kronos without drowning in the depths of their addiction. Play the Captain if you want to be a stoic yet haunted leader or if you want to be intimately connected to the crew of RMS Kronos.

The Faithful is a wielder of religion, steeped in sin. They were the head of a prolific church in their home (or a mission abroad) until their love and lust led them into a relationship with a congregation member. While they have powerful faith and are naturally gifted in connecting with others, their wandering eye and open heart have led them to temptation. During the game, you will wield faith and power from your Higher Power, with the assistance of your Lover, a demon, who is on board disguised as an attendant. Play the Faithful if you want to live as a holy and righteous pillar of faith that is constantly tested by the sins of the flesh.

The Stoker is the lifeblood of making sure the ship stays in motion. Stokers shovel coal from piles into the furnaces that power the steam engines. Most of the job is hard, physical labor that could break a weaker person, but not you- never you. You are a once proud and gentle earth elemental from the wilds of Eastern Europe. A stirring of the people have forced you from your ancestral home, wandering and looking for somewhere new. A new life in the New World seems to be the best chance at happiness. During the game, you will manifest your strength and heart to ensure no obstacle stands in the way of your and the other passenger's investigations. Play the Stoker if you want to be a strong and determined ship member that wishes to push forward to the end goal, no matter what.

The Socialite is a wealthy and well-connected businessperson in First Class; they are also a liar and raconteur. You have taken the identity of a recently perished member of the Old Money class. Through the art of lying, cheating, and swindling, you have enjoyed the taste of lavish luxury and refuse to relinquish that hold. Little did you know, The Heir to your identity’s wealth is pursuing you and has finally caught up to you on the RMS Kronos. Honeyed words, wealth, and disguise is needed to escape your pursuer's grasp. Play the Socialite if you prefer to talk your way out of tricky situations, or want to experience portraying someone who has had a hard life and is now tasting how the other half lives.

The Stowaway is a former member of the French Foreign Legion who has deserted their former post and lived on the lamb. The death and destruction of The Legion pushed you beyond your brink, and you couldn’t take it anymore. Finding the first opportunity, you left your post in the dead of night, and after months of stowing away on ships, trains, and carts, you are on the last leg of your journey. Soon, New York City and the Statue of Liberty will welcome you with open arms. You just have to survive this last voyage. During the game, your stealth and wiles are needed to maintain your passage onboard Kronos while navigating the horrors of war still lingering in your mind. Play the Stowaway if you want to use stealth and subterfuge to gather clues while confronting and eventually succumbing to the death and destruction that wracks your psyche.

The Doctor is a brilliant surgeon in Second Class who has chosen to leave Europe (or return to America) for their forward-thinking yet controversial medical techniques. Not only will this technology change the face of the medical world, but it has killed a patient of yours, and you’re trying to outrun the ghost of your guilt. During the game, you’ll help support the other passengers during your investigations but will have to contend with the echoes of your mistake and hope they don’t resurface. Play the Doctor if you want to portray a brilliant yet guilt-ridden professional that can heal those in need.

The Ballast Class will have to deal with a number of strange incidents on their voyage, including: The Double Lives of RMS Kronos, in which seeming doppelgangers posing as passengers and crew engage in acts of violence around the ship; The Iceberg, which is inching ever-closer, no matter how far the ship goes or which direction it turns; The Perfect Storm, which threatens to sink the Kronos with immediate, exquisite fury; The Noise from Below, in which the hunters must go deep into the bowels of the Kronos in order to identify an unsettling sound driving passengers and crew to madness; Pockets Pilfered, in which an unusual thief is terrorizing passengers; Dead in the Water, wherein the Kronos engines come to a sudden stop, for reasons not entirely mechanical; The Haunting of RMS Hyperion, which finds an abandoned, unmanned vessel getting closer and closer; A Siren's Serenade, wherein a party is disrupted when the music becomes... a little strange; plus two Threats associated with Playbooks.

We won't spoil the Mastermind here, but let's just say that things that happen in London, don't necessarily stay in London...

In Court of Wolves, your hunters are part of The Black Cabinet, a secret, internal security team at Versailles during the time of the Sun King, Louis XIV. While the King and his council deal with threats from abroad—the Huguenots, Spain, the Church, William of Orange—the hunters deal with Threats lurking closer to home: angry French nobles conspiring with Satanic cults; werewolves stalking in the moonlit woods near the palace; and the mysterious Moon King, who some say is the exiled twin brother of Louis XIV. In the end, the hunters will have to make a choice: stay loyal to the Sun, or embrace the light of the Moon. Court of Wolves is directly inspired by the TV show Versailles but also takes inspiration from movies like Le roi danse and Brotherhood of the Wolf, the works of Alexandre Dumas, and historical fiction.

The Hand is the King’s personal attendant and closest confidant. They are the first person the King sees in the morning and the last person he sees at night. The Hand exercises the most influence with Louis, and when the power of the Crown needs to be brought to bear upon a situation, the Hand can make it happen. The Hand’s position is also a hereditary one—they have access to secret knowledge and artifacts that have been passed down from their forebears. The Hand is the most loyal of the Sun King’s servants, but that loyalty will be greatly tested, for they also have the most intimate knowledge of the Moon King, Louis’s mysterious rival at court. Play the Hand if you want to shape greatness, or if you want to play a character with deeply divided loyalties. 

The Knife is the King’s internal head of security and torturer. They committed a terrible crime against the Crown in their youth, but were spared by Louis. The Knife repays that mercy with an unflinching devotion to unmasking Louis’s enemies at Versailles. Information is their trade; a network of informants, command over a team of brutal thugs, and a taste for torture are the tools of that trade. But while ferreting out secrets is their specialty, they have a secret of their own: they’re in love with a traitor. Play the Knife if you want to engage in spy craft and use cruel, bloody means to accomplish your ends, or if you want to play a character compromised by love. 

The Italian is an artisan and mystic being hosted at Versailles. They are there to create a series of art installations around the palace, each inspired by a card in the Major Arcana of the Tarot. The Italian, blessed with the ability to draw creative power from a silvery void that exists in parallel with our reality, creates places of arcane power centered on each installation—power that the Black Cabinet can draw upon. However, as each installation is complete, a malignant entity gets closer and closer to escaping its cosmic prison and wreaking havoc on Versailles. Play the Italian if you want to describe magnificent artistic works inspired by the Tarot, or if you want to tap into forbidden veins of magic. 

The Pomp is a decadent, pampered noble—an unrepentant bon vivant and silver-tongued creature of the salons. They pretend to be a critic and rival of Louis, all the while secretly supporting the Sun King in their work for the Black Cabinet. The Pomp’s weapons are the latest fashions, illicit narcotics , overindulgence in food and wine, and their favorite: gossip. They spend money freely, can throw a hastily-arranged party, or put on a luxurious fashion show—anything to keep the nobles occupied or in their pocket. Play the Pomp if you want to indulge in sensory details, or if you want to play a character who is mostly here to have a good time. 

The Torn is a veteran of the Sun King’s wars, battle-scarred and broken. Their body has been ravaged by Louis’s ambition, but they remain steadfast in their service for one reason: they are desperately in love with the Sun King. As children, they were the best of friends, and while Prince Louis was busy learning the affairs of state, his mother the Queen was teaching the Torn to love her son so that Louis would have a devoted protector during his reign. The Torn has gone to battle many times for Louis, and learned many field skills that are of great use to the Black Cabinet, but they harbor a secret: they only survived the last battle because they allowed Mars, the God of War, to take them as a lover—and Mars has tracked them to Versailles. Play the Torn if you want to be a highly skilled operator, or if you want to explore themes of unrequited love and lust. 

The Viridescent is a royal hostage from the Fae realm. Centuries ago, the Kingdom of Frankia was at war with the Fae; when the war ended in a truce, the Viridescent was handed over to the royal families of Frankia as a guarantor of the peace: the Viridescent will be allowed to live so long as the Fae never make war on France. In present times, the Viridescent serves as the gardener at Versailles. They use their Fae magic to communicate with, and control, plant life—a talent that is of great use to the Black Cabinet. While within the gates of the palace, their power is controlled and refined—much like the manicured gardens and topiaries Louis so loves. But in the forests around Versailles, their power runs wild and free. Play the Viridescent if you want to explore the mystery and history of the Fae realm in The Between, or if you want to wield powerful plant magic. 

Master of the Hounds: Dead bodies are turning up in the village—eviscerated, torn limb from limb. Witnesses claim it’s the so-called “Master of the Hounds,” a legendary figure who commands a pack of monstrous dogs. The Black Cabinet must stop the perpetrator, and prevent terror from spreading throughout the countryside. 

  

The Devil’s Chapel: A trio of Satanists is burned at the stake, but not before shouting a curse upon Louis. Louis believes he’s been afflicted by their magic; the Black Cabinet must investigate the Devil-worshippers’ isolated chapel to find a way to reverse it. 

Confrérie du Loup: A group of outlaw Musketeers is attacking carriages at night, robbing and murdering the victims. This would be a matter for the King’s guard, if not for one troubling detail in a survivor’s story: the highwaymen were aided by a monstrous, wolf-like creature. The Black Cabinet is on the case. 

The Sisters of Castronegro: A group of strange, green-eyed nuns is seen in and around the palace. Queen Maria Theresa explains they are members of the Sisters of Castronegro, a convent she was briefly sent to as a young girl in Spain. The Queen claims she witnessed profane and demonic acts at the convent, but no one believed her at the time. The Black Cabinet must investigate why a group of Spanish witch-nuns has traveled all the way to France… 

The Order of the Red Lily: Terror breaks out in the salons: nobles are turning up dead, killed in gory, ritualistic fashion. Each death was preceded by the appearance of a red fleur de lis on the victim’s chamber door. The Black Cabinet comes to believe it’s the work of a group calling itself the Order of the Red Lily. But what are the Order’s aims? Are the murders part of some grand occult ritual? Or are the killings political in nature? 

The Ravening: The Black Cabinet is summoned to the chambers of the Dauphin: the adolescent prince is kneeling over the unzipped body of his nanny, stuffing her guts and organs into his wee royal mouth. The Black Cabinet must (quietly) investigate the matter. Is the young prince possessed by a demon? Has he been afflicted with some beastly curse? Has he simply gone mad?

La Nouvelle Pâtisserie: A renowned confectioner and pastry chef has been given a suite of rooms in the palace. There, he hosts private, multi-course dessert tastings which double as ritualistic, theatrical performances. But why are invitees going missing? And what to make of the increasingly strange (and cannibalistic?) treats on offer, such as mellified babies, gelatin breasts with candied nipples, blood eclairs, sugared cuckoo birds, and sweetened femur marrow? The Black Cabinet has secured an invitation. A Threat inspired by Midsommar and The Menu. 

She-That-Feeds: The Black Cabinet become aware of a cult operating out of a nearby cave system. The cult is dedicated to an ancient wolf god known as She-That-Feeds, and when villagers begin willingly sacrificing themselves to the monstrosity, the hunters must intercede. But what will they do when they learn that, in order to slay the creature, they must first free it from its otherworldly prison?

There are also two secret Threats associated with specific playbooks!

The Mastermind in Court of Wolves is the mysterious Moon King. The Moon King is operating a shadow court in Versailles, right under Louis's nose. He is manipulating the events of recent weeks in order to destroy the Sun King. The Black Cabinet must first learn who the Moon King actually is. Then, once he's been unmasked, they must each decide: stay loyal to the Sun, or embrace the Moon. 

We are pleased to offer a BackerKit-exclusive reward: the Mastermind Dice! The Mastermind dice are 12 premium, hard-edge dice in a collector's box. The dice come in 4 colors—3 of each—and they glow in the dark! (You might say they have a "night phase")

Read summaries of all unlocked achievements here.

We'll add a new campaign setting to Suns of Another World: Blood & Coal! Blood & Coal takes place in the town of Thurmond, West Virginia in the early 20th century, during the first years of the Great Depression. The player characters—the hunters—belong to a secret club known as the Bushburners' Lodge who, while posing as Thurmond's volunteer fire brigade, investigate and neutralize demonic threats that appear around the areas of the New River Gorge and surrounding Fayette County. Over time, they become aware of the plans of a sinister mastermind who seeks to unleash an all-consuming evil from its imprisoned slumber beneath the ancient hills. The hunters will eventually be forced to confront this mastermind in an attempt to halt the End of All Things and save their community. Blood & Coal is directly inspired by the audio drama series Old Gods of Appalachia and the 1987 film Matewan. It also takes inspiration from cosmic horror fiction, as well as real-life Appalachian history, music, and folklore. Blood & Coal is by Alex Rybitski, with contributions from an all-star cast of writers, including Lin Codega, Wesley Franks, and B Narr!

The Canary is a beautiful innocent stuck in a bad situation. They were born with the gift of foresight and the ability to sense malevolent entities in their presence. They are also the ward of another hunter, who has conscripted them into the dangerous work of the Bushburners' Lodge against their wishes. Play the Canary if you want to use miraculous powers to illuminate even the darkest places, or if you'd like to explore the relationship with the one who forces your hand.

The Runner is a bootlegger, hockin' hooch to the good people of Fayette County from the back of their trusty automobile. They fled their past life in the big city, leaving behind more than a few burned bridges with people both powerful and dangerous. Play the Runner if you want to be a noble renegade that outsmarts their opposition, or if you just want to go careening down backcountry roads at hazardous speeds.

The Scab is a detestable coward with a damned soul. They were a labor spy for the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency during the coal wars, using dirty tricks and goading words that lead striking miners to their deaths. They are literally haunted by the spirits of those they betrayed, and it's only a matter of time until their vile soul is dragged to Hell. Play the Scab if you want to be a manipulative, two-faced, lily-livered snake, or if you're interested in exploring how an irredeemable piece of shit gets what they deserve.

The Balladeer is a folk singer, entrusted with the preservation of a precious musical legacy. They've traveled all over these hills, gathering generations of nigh-forgotten songs and stories. During the game, they will pursue truth and tradition with fiery zeal, singing songs that rouse the heart and stir those around them to action. Play the Balladeer if you want to be the most charming person in the room, or if you're interested in exploring your role in the living history of Appalachia and its people.

The Revenant is a vengeful soul. They were recently killed by someone they knew, perhaps even trusted, and left to rot—only, they didn't stay dead; something dark, twisted, and hungry brought them back. During the game, they will have to contend not only with their undead nature and the pursuit of revenge, but also a gnawing corruption that's taking root deep within. Play the Revenant if you want to face having a tenuous and fading grip on humanity, or if you're interested in being an unkillable force out for blood.

The Daughter is the last true witch of Appalachia. She comes from a long line of proud women just like her, but is now alone. She is the chosen guardian of the natural order, the only thing that the forces of darkness may come to fear—if they don't manage to corrupt her, first. During the game, you'll explore her connections to those that came before her and the wisdom they left behind. Play the Daughter if you want to use holler medicine and granny magic to protect others, even if they're scared of what you are.

Blood & Coal is still in development, but will feature a variety of Threats, including: The Bad Death of Dolores Fink, in which a recently deceased homemaker miraculously revives, only to terrorize her family; The Snarly Yow, in which a monstrous wolf has been scaring travelers along the old roads outside of town; and The Blue Devil of Ratliff Holler, in which the hunters investigate a folk tale, a blue-skinned family of moonshiners, and their criminal clientele. In addition to the other 5 planned Threats, there will be two secret Threats associated with Playbooks. We will have more to reveal in the coming weeks!

The Mastermind in Blood & Coal is Father Tate, a mysterious and charismatic preacher with a dark secret—he is in direct communion with the malevolent forces at work, and will eagerly see Thurmond burn to bring about the return of the God Beneath.

Shipping fees are not included as part of your pledge. Shipping will be calculated and collected after the campaign using the Pledge Manager.

"The Between not only gifted me new, deeply beloved friends, but also gave me a character and moments of storytelling that I will remember as long as I live. It is truly a marvel and I cannot recommend you backing this enough." -@GeorgieBroad

"The Between oozes drama, horror, and sensuality in a way that few RPGs can even attempt. Paint the Scene and the Unscene are such great additions to the lexicon of TTRPGs” -@CallMeBillyL

"One of the finest TTRPGs I've played. Takes the core of Brindlewood Bay and explodes it outwards in a flurry of sex and blood (this is a good thing)." - Oli Jeffery, Sinister Beard Games

"A dark and brooding game about monsters hunting monsters, sensual darkness, and sometimes just a fuck ton of dynamite." -Megan Caldwell, TTRPG writer and designer

"Penny Dreadful and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen need no justification. Why does The Between need one? Mysterious sexy monsters exploring cosmic horror, their creepy house, themselves, and each other. What more could you possibly want?!" -Evan Torner, professor and TTRPG academic

"The Between is one of the most enjoyable TTRPGs I’ve ever run. The game mechanics create unparalleled interplay between the Keeper and the players. This leads to unforeseen and compelling storytelling. The Unscene feature is frankly a work of genius." -@ancientgamer

"The Between makes telling dramatic horror-mysteries together absolutely effortless. It's the rare game where I read it and *immediately* needed to run an entire campaign. Make what feels like an incredible season of television, or play it for years!" -@cali_keftiu

"The Between is one of the best games I have ever read and played. It changed my understanding of role-playing games and has given me some of the best gaming sessions I can remember. I hope more people can enjoy this wonderful game and enjoy it with their friends as much as I have." -J Cantor

"From the very first session I played of The Between, I fell in love with the game's concept and the world it offered. I immediately suggested it to my gaming group, and we've built a wonderful community around it, full of creativity, imagination, and stories in this supernatural Victorian London..." -Hiromi, Lineas de Sangre

"I came to the Gauntlet for Brindlewood Bay and stayed for The Between…  It has been a sincere pleasure getting to know this game since late 2021, watching it evolve, seeing all of the creativity with homebrew material that we could incorporate into the core game, episodic play with the Threats & Masterminds, and the art of the cuts with the Unscene. I am all over the place with my enthusiasm for different elements within The Between..." -Madelancholy

"Atmospherically I compare this game to a fine glass of wine: mature, sensual, and an acquired taste. It's intense, gory, and honestly pretty sexy. Still, it's very easy to adjust the game to your comfort level for how intense it gets. All Threats have the same structure, and it does take you step-by-step as a GM how to create everything from scratch. It takes you by the hand for running Session One; it practically runs itself while making you look like a genius in front of your players. If you have struggled with GMing before, I would recommend this game as at its core is an excellent resource for understanding how games work." -Chaotic

"I've remained excited about The Between for several years now due to not just the setting and playbooks, but also because of some of the innovative mechanics for this game; the Janus Masks, the entire Threat investigation, the Unscenes, and the Mastermind. There are posted Youtube videos from the author, Jason Cordova, and others that do an exemplary job showing how this game structure and moves work. So much support is built in for Keepers so they can pick it up and look like pros on Day 1." -Daniel Qualls, game designer

"I break The Between out solely for two-shots at RPG events in Tokyo. It works like a charm: the rules of play and rich setting material make immersing into character and starting actual play quite easy. It’s a 'surprise favorite' every time." -Ben Bisogno, TTRPG writer

"Across dozens of sessions, my characters have murdered siblings, investigated haunted dolls, imprisoned vampires in a basement cathedral, been snubbed by uppercrust society for discovering Atlantis, and seduced at least one ruler of Venus. The game escalates its dangers at every alleyway, while trusting players to build messy histories, a tangled present, and a foreboding future." -Mike Martens, game designer

Listen to a podcast actual play of The Between in The Ain't Slayed Nobody feed!

Jason Cordova, creator of The Between
Harald Eckmüller, graphic design and crowdfunding support
Alex Rybitski, editor
Bran Lavigne, project manager

Amanda Lee Franck
Daniel Jimbert
Ania APART
P.K. Ashur
Rapid Punches
Kate Morris

David Morrison, Oli Jeffery, Ben Bond, Daniel Qualls, Gabriel Robinson, Petra Volkhausen, Jason Burns, Mitch Kocen, Alissa Hahn, Ben Bisogno, Sarah Bolling, Chloé Germaine, James Smith, Matthew Edwards, Alexi Sargeant, Wesley Franks, Megan Caldwell, Jack Hargreaves, Mitch Kocen, David LaFreniere, Amanda Mullins