Criminal Underworld

Key facts

Characteristic

Intuition

Overview

Criminal Underworld covers the unwritten rules of illegal life: which gang owns which streets, what a fence will pay, how to ask for a forger without getting robbed, what a tattoo or hand sign means. It is an Intuition skill because it depends on reading a situation and the people in it. It comes up when the party needs contraband, wants to move stolen goods, hunts a fugitive who has gone to ground, or has to walk into a smuggler's den and walk out again.

How it works

Characteristic: Intuition. Skill group: Intuition skills. Test: 2d10 + Intuition; 11 or lower is tier 1, 12 to 16 tier 2, 17 or higher tier 3. Training grants a benefit and unlocks attempts untrained heroes cannot make. How it is used: Tier 3 finds the right contact or reads the situation exactly. Tier 2 gets a lead at a cost or a partial picture. Tier 1 asks the wrong person, which can mean a shakedown or a tip-off to the target. Edges and banes: A known reputation, a mutual contact, or a city you have worked before grants an edge (+2). Being obviously law-abiding, a foreign city, or a recent crackdown imposes a bane (-2).

Tips and playstyle

Best for: Shadows and any hero whose backstory runs through the gutters, and parties that operate outside the law. Character concepts: Criminal career fixer, Beggar who knows every alley, Agent who infiltrated a syndicate. Synergies: Gather Rumors for what the street is saying, Deceive for passing as one of them, Pick Lock and Pick Pocket for doing the work yourself.

Frequently asked questions