Classic Maven Moves

Once per mystery, if you and/or any number of your fellow Mavens would suffer physical harm, you can describe how that physical harm is just narrowly avoided.

Pick this move if you want to keep the Mavens relatively safe from physical harm, or if you want to describe daring escapes.

Who is this?

Something about you causes the elite of society to not take you too seriously. What is it? Once per mystery, when you do the Meddling Move in a place occupied by the rich and famous, you find an additional Clue, even on a miss.

Pick this move if you want to be good at finding Clues, or if you want to have scenes where you get under the skin of elites.

Who is this?

Add 1 to your Sensitivity (max 3). At the beginning of each session, the Keeper will give you a Void Clue in the form of a strange, unsettling dream you experience. No two Mavens can have this move at the same time.

Pick this move if you want to explore supernatural weirdness.

Who is this?

You have a very stylish wardrobe—people say “Wow!” whenever they see you around town. Describe your Style in a little more detail and then add Stylish Wardrobe to your Cozy Little Place. When you use it to get an advantage on a die roll, leave it unmarked.

Pick this move if you want to be highly effective in social situations, or if you want to describe your Maven's fabulous outfits.

Who is this?

You have a strong religious background. Describe it. When you use this move, describe how your faith is helping you resist the Void. Then, unmark every box on The Crown of the Void. You are still Obsessed with the Void if you unmark the Pomegranate Kernel. You may only use this move once.

Note: This move is not recommended unless your group is certain they will continue playing the game. This move's mechanical value in Session 1 begins at zero and only accrues value after each use of The Crown of the Void. This means that you would be unlikely to use this move in Session 1. That being said, you may still want to pick it if religion is something you would like strongly associated with your character.

Pick this move if you want to lean into danger by embracing the Void, or if you want to have scenes showing how your religion is affected by the Void. Note that the effects from The Chariot are not reversed if it is unmarked. If it is marked again, the effects get applied again, but Reason can never go below -3 and Sensitivity can never go above 3.

Who is this?

You can easily pass for someone much younger. If you're in a situation or environment where being younger is a benefit, your rolls are made with advantage.

Pick this move if you want to move easily through places the Mavens would normally find challenging because of their age, or if you want to explore themes of youth and aging.

Who is this?

You have an additional End of Session question that is always marked: “Did you inflict extrajudicial punishment on a wrongdoer?”

Note: “Extrajudicial punishment” doesn't mean harsh punishment; it would seriously break tone if the Maven in question pulled out a gun and shot a murder suspect in an act of ruthless vigilantism. The move is designed to show the Maven's rebellious streak, but it should be a rebelliousness that is appropriate for an elderly do-gooder. “Wrongdoer” doesn't necessarily mean the killer, either. It can be any character who has done something worthy of retribution. Additionally, be careful when considering this move. It is a powerful move but only activates at the end of each game session.

Pick this move if you want to advance a little more quickly, or if you want to explore the idea of having a personal moral code.

Who is this?

You used to live a globetrotting, jet set life, and you still have a touch of glamor about you that will never fade. Add 1 to your Presence (max 3).

Pick this move if you want to be highly effective at influencing others with your charisma, or if you want to explore a backstory related to being rich and famous.

Who is this?

When you improvise in a situation using whatever is at hand, ask the other players and Keeper to name three objects you find in the environment. So long as you can give a plausible explanation for how these three objects together are helpful in the current situation, you get an automatic 12+ on a single associated die roll. This move can be used once per mystery.

Note: The Keeper is free to overrule any suggestion from a player that is just plain implausible or could be chalked up to pure luck. However, the Keeper is encouraged to be flexible in pursuit of narrative excellence.

Pick this move if you want to be rewarded for your improvisational skills as a player.

Who is this?

You are a secret personal friend of Robin Masterson, the mysterious author of the Gold Crown Mysteries. You have access to Robin's resources whenever you are outside Brindlewood Bay: her homes, her vehicles, and even her checking account. Additionally, the Mavens always get both benefits of the Gold Crown Mysteries Move instead of having to choose.

Note: Be careful when considering this move. Most of this move's utility only occurs when the characters are outside of Brindlewood Bay, which is unlikely to occur in Session 1. However, the aspect relating to the Gold Crown Mysteries Move will immediately be accessible.

Pick this move if you want to make The Gold Crown Mysteries a central part of the story.

Who is this?

Someone connected to the dark conspiracy is helping you behind the scenes. Tell the Keeper that the thresholds for each layer of the dark conspiracy are reduced by 1. Once per mystery, after at least one Void Clue has been encountered, you can have a secret meeting with this informant who is always shrouded in darkness or otherwise disguised. You need only describe what the scene looks like—the location, the physical environment, how the mysterious person arrives on the scenes, etc. The actual conversation happens off-screen. Then, you can declare that a Void Clue encountered during the mystery is now a regular Clue. The informant will only fully reveal themselves during the Void Mystery, at which point you can have normal scenes with them. No two Mavens can have this move at the same time.

Note: Be careful when considering this move. Most of this move's utility is stretched out over the course of the entire story. Therefore, it is not recommended unless the players are certain they will continue playing.

Pick this move if you want to make the occult conspiracy a more central part of the story.

Who is this?

You have a trusty mode of transportation—an oversized sedan, a motorbike, or an old truck—that has gotten you out of more than one sticky situation. Give it a name and add it to your Cozy Little Place. When you use it to get an advantage on a die roll, leave it unmarked.

Note: The examples cited above are by way of example, not limitation. Nonetheless, the idea is that the transportation is (a) personal, and (b) relatively mundane. For example: the creator, Jason Cordova, has approved a mobility scooter for this move in a recorded demonstration.

Pick this move if you want a vehicle to be a defining trait of your character, or if you want to have chase scenes.

Who is this?

You have a sibling who is your polar opposite in terms of fashion sense and personality. Describe them to the Keeper and name them. You can always request a scene with your sibling. You can also call on them for help, in which case you take advantage on any die rolls associated with actions they assist you with. However, that help always comes at a cost.

Note: Be careful when considering this move. Most of this move's utility is stretched out over the course of the entire story. Therefore, it is not recommended unless the players are certain they will continue playing.

Pick this move if you want to interact with a recurring character, or if you want to explore your past through the lens of sibling rivalry.

Who is this?

You have a medical background; describe it. Then add a Medical Bad to your Cozy Little Place. When you use it to get an advantage on a die roll, leave it unmarked.

Pick this move if you're interested in a more forensic approach to investigations, or if you want to be highly effective when helping characters in physical distress.

Who is this?

At the beginning of each session, the Keeper will narrate an answering machine message you received. The message is always from the same unknown person, and they will ask you to do some particular task, seemingly unrelated to the mystery. If you complete the task in the same session it was assigned, mark XP. The messages and tasks will get increasingly strange and disturbing the more marks you have on The Crown of the Void. No two Mavens can ever have this move at the same time.

Note: Be careful when considering this move. Most of this move's utility is stretched out over the course of the entire story. Therefore, it is not recommended unless the players are certain they will continue playing.

Pick this move if you want to advance a bit more quickly, or if you're interested in exploring surreal horror subject matter.

Who is this?

At the beginning of each session, a stranger presses something into your hand or leaves something in a place where you find it. The Keeper will tell you what it is. It functions as a Clue, but isn't attached to any particular mystery—you can use it in the present mystery or save it for the future.

Note: Be careful when considering this move. Most of this move's utility is stretched out over the course of the entire story. Therefore, it is not recommended unless the players are certain they will continue playing.

Pick this move if you want to have more influence on the solutions to the mysteries, or if you want to explore the possibility that someone behind the scenes in helping you.

Who is this?

Once per mystery, you can take a 12+ on a single roll related to a wild or daring physical feat.

Pick this move if you want to engage in wild or daring physical feats, or if you want to have a story that is more action-packed.

Who is this?

You have a feline friend with whom you share a strong bond. This extraordinary kitty can do tricks and follow simple commands. Name your precocious puss and add them to your Cozy Little Place. When you use the cat to get an advantage on a roll, leave it unmarked.

Pick this move because cat.

Who is this?

You're very talented at passing yourself off as someone you are not. If there is a piece of identification or a disguise that would help you with your ruse, you have it. Say what it is and add it to your Cozy Little Place.

Pick this move if you want to be sneaky or deceptive about how you conduct your investigations, or if you want to describe ridiculous costumes.

Who is this?