:: Core Rules ::

Tone

The Lost Bay is a hazy beast, a sprawl of malls, ancient woods, abandoned highways, lifeless residential grids, and iodine loaded rusty harbors. It’s infinite and unmappable, inescapable. Semi-abandoned highways and an inhospitable nature connect it to the rest of the world, probably.

The Bay is more than just a suburb, it’s a force that grants plenty, and demands more. It’s brutal yet welcoming. A maze of concrete and immaculate wilderness.

At its core lies the Weird. Immaterial, life and death, joy and pain. It’s everywhere, and makes the Bay what it is.

Something happened to you and you got the Weird. Now you’re Gifted, bound to an immortal Living Saint. Living Saints are neither good, nor evil. You might serve them out of devotion or against your will.

Your Living Saint grants you a fraction of their powers. They allow you to channel the Weird and accomplish extraordinary feats. But it comes at a cost. Excess Weird can consume you, body and soul.

Since you got the Weird you left your old life behind. Now you have found new companions, like-minded souls, they’re your family by fate and by choice, not by blood.

The Weird inexorably pulls you to uncanny places, like an incandescent gem lures a moth. Miracles are drawn to you: creatures weirder than you, overwhelming, unstoppable. They can’t be defeated, only cheated, bargained with, escaped.

Something about your life remains unanswered. The contours of your Living Saint elude you. The Weird within you, is a mystery. You seek to learn the truth, it’s out there, somewhere, waiting.

System and rules


Rolling the dice

You’re a hot mess. A teen blessed with Gifts. Glass cannon cursed with the Weird.

The Weird makes you extraordinary, but it also consumes you. It’s the only stat you have, ranging from 1 to 6. When your Weird reaches 6, you’re Consumed. That’s the end for you.

Managing your Weird level is at the core of the game. It’s not a resource you spend but an energy that flows through you. You can channel the Weird to overcome danger, but the more you use it, the more it floods you pushing your stat higher.

To play, you’ll need d6s in two colors, white (normal) and red (weird). The Weird dice materialize the Weird you use to accomplish actions.

You roll dice every time accomplish something difficult, or tap into the Weird, willingly or not. .

There are only two types of dice rolls: Action Roll, and Weird Save

There are only two kinds of dice rolls: Action Roll, and Weird Save

Action Roll

The Action Roll is the main roll of the game You’ll make an action roll whenever you attempt a difficult or dangerous action. The GM may rule that some actions are outright impossible; like hacking a computer with a teaspoon, or cracking a safe with jelly. Use your best judgment to decide if the action is feasible and what the consequences of a failure or of a success with complications might be.

Build your dice pool

NORMAL DICE +1 die if you’re using a Skill. Add only 1 die even if multiple skills are relevant. +1 die if you’re using Gear. The piece of Gear becomes unusable, remove it from the inventory. +1 die if you’re receiving Help

RED DICE +1 die if you’re mustering the Weird, and taking the risk to get a Condition +1 die if you’re using a Gift +1 die if you’re trying to kill a living being (not a Weird being) +1 if a Scar or Weird Condition are relevant

Check the results

DID THE WEIRD AFFECT YOU? Is the highest die a Red die? YES: if it’s higher than your current Weird, get +1 Weird and a Condition

DID THE ACTION SUCCEED? 1-3 you fail, consequence, if you’d like you can re-roll adding another red die to the pool 4-5 success with complication, if you’d like you can re-roll adding another red die to the pool 6 success

Action scope

The scope of an action can range from limited to broad. GenIn general, actions with a limited scope take less time to complete. The consequences of a Failure or a Success with complication should be proportional to action’s scope.

Examples of limited scope actions

Examples of broad scope actions

Gear

You start and can carry max three gear. If you drop something from your inventory you can’t get it back.

When you roll for an action using one gear you consume it, regardless of the roll outcome.

Weird save

Whenever you encounter a manifestation of the Weird roll a red die.
If the result is higher than your current Weird, increase your Weird by 1 and get a condition (or worsen an existing condition).

Consumed

When your Weird reaches 6 or when you get all 6 Scars (see below), you’re lost, dead, consumed by the Weird and devoured by the Bay. You may not be physically dead, but you exit the game. Create another character.

Prayers

Prayers are directed to your living saint, and can take any form that suits you: whispering, drawing figures in the sand, spitting. They’re what you do when you seek help.

There are two types of Prayers: Offerings and Summons.

Offering

Offerings allow you to lower your Weird, and avoid being consumed. They are uncanny practices that allow you to pay your dues, and pass some of your Weird to your living saint. Some see Offerings as a sacred connection to the immortals, others call them extortion.

When you attempt to lower your weird, roll an Offering roll with a Weird die (red):

Summon

You can summon your Living Saint, they will manifest in the form of their Omen.
Summoning is a prayer of last resort. You can only do it only six times in your lifetime, and with each summon you gain a Scar.

When you summon your living saint you can:

Describe how the living saint manifests, the effect of your Summon, your scar (see below).

Free Summons

Free summons help game masters maintain a nice balance at the table. The Lost Bay is a challenging world for the characters, but it shouldn’t become a nightmare for the players.

You can reward the characters with free summons when they accomplish something extraordinary. Such as surviving an Urban Legend, pulling off an impossible feat, or doing something that makes the table go: whoa! You can also grant one, when their saint patron is impressed or proud of their doing.

Unlike regular summons, free summons don’t trigger scars when they’re used

Free summons don’t trigger scars when they’re used

Example:
It’s night. Lea is trapped in a pet shop. She’s finally confronting the serial killer that has been chasing her for days. Surrounding her are insectariums filled with rare and ancient insects. As a Monarch she uses her power, Swarm, to unleash the bugs trapped in the display cases, turning them into a ferocious tide that overwhelms her attacker. In the process, she not only defeats the serial killer but also frees the insects from their glass and plastic prison, allowing them to crawl and fly back to nature. Her living saint finds this particularly impressive and grants her a free Summon.

Additionally, you can grant a free Summon when a player contributes to the game in a cool way, such as taking notes, drawing a map, or bringing a chocolate cake for the table.

Fighting Miracles

Miracles are beings corrupted by the Weird. They may take human form—or something else entirely.
Miracles cannot be killed in combat. However, they can be tricked, lured, bargained with, hidden from, or imprisoned. You might even try to wound them as part of a more complex plan.

Conditions

Conditions are a characters’ physical or spiritual wounds. They might alter their body, and their emotional balance. They can make simple actions become complicated.

You can take conditions:

1.When your Weird increases.

This might happen during an Action Roll, or a Weird Save because of the red die. In those cases conditions will be specific to the Urban Legend you’re playing, and follow its core themes. They are a direct consequence to the character’s exposure to the Weird.

Two condition examples from the Traveller urban legend (p.xx)

The GM and the player will determine how Conditions affect the character—both in terms of their behavior and how the environment reacts to them.

For example, what happens if you’re being chased by a car at night but feel an uncontrollable compulsion to stare at its headlights? Or how might an NPC react when you’re trying to convince them of your trustworthiness, while tiny tentacles protrude from your cheek?

Every time the Weird score of a character increases, their condition will worsen. The GM and the player determine together how this happens.

When the character has six Weird, they are Consumed by their condition. They are dead, lost, devoured by the Weird, and are not playable anymore.

The Condition will subdue if the character manages to lower their Weird.

2.If you fail an action.

For example failing to climb a light pole might lead to a fall and breaking a leg. These kinds of conditions will not worsen when your Weird increases, and can be healed by taking appropriate steps.

Scars

Characters get scars when they summon their living saint.

They get the scars in succession.

The last scar Consumes the character, making them unplayable. Their body or soul undergoes one last radical transformation. They are consumed by the Weird and become one with Lost Bay. Getting the last scar fulfills the destiny forged by their Living Saint. How they feel about it is up to them; whether they rejoice, rebel, accept it with indifference or something else entirely.

Example conditions from the The Traveller Urban Legend

1 Burns draws a diagram on your skin 2 Thin protruding iridescent tentacles burst through your flesh 3 You feel mesmerized by bright lights and need to stare at them 4 All faces look the same to you 5 You feel hunted 6 You have doubts about who you are, what you are

Principles for players

Get to know your characters
You play as a Gifted, a young person touched by the Weird and granted extraordinary powers by a Living Saint. Your character’s life has been turned upside-down. They start their journey with a Calling and lots of unanswered questions. Use Urban Legends and Wandering as opportunities for self-discovery. Weave your character into their surroundings, build their backstory, add facets to their personality as you play and explore the Bay. The game is as much about exploring the Bay, as it is about getting to know your character.

Take risks
The Lost Bay is filled with eerie places and dangerous creatures. Growth and evolution come from engaging with the unknown. Take risks, interact with the world around you.

Be aware though that direct confrontation with Miracles inevitably leads to death. Think outside the box, and find creative ways to survive the Bay.

Dance with the Weird
Embrace the Weird. It’s your best friend. Using Gifts and Prayers pushes the fiction forward and might cause Conditions and Scars. These are not just setbacks, they give depth to your characters and spark new ideas.

Cheat death
The Lost Bay can be deadly. Miracles can crush you. Conditions and Scars blaze your body and soul. Do your best to stay alive, but don’t fear death. If your character dies or is Consumed it’s ok. That means you were bold and took risks. Say your goodbyes, create a new character, and keep playing.

Experiment
There’s no single way to handle a problem. Use your Skills, Gifts and Gear creatively. Experiment and try things.

Move forward
The game isn’t about solving problems, it’s about discovering how your character confronts them. If you feel stuck in a specific situation, let it go, and move on. Urban Legends are structured in Beats, ensuring there’s always something new and eerie to engage with. Play with the Bay, not against it.

Share the spotlight
The game is a collective experience. Make space for other players, leave room for their ideas, actions, and voices. Conflicts between characters are fine, but be sure to keep tensions in the fiction. Don’t let in-game conflicts affect the fun at the table.

Ask questions
Whenever you feel lost ask the GM and the other players to help you. If you’re unsure about the rules, the world or don’t know how your character should handle a specific situation don’t be afraid to ask for feedback.

Principles for Game Masters

Set Expectations
Before the session starts, make sure everyone understands what they’re stepping into. If possible, talk to the players ahead of time—don’t wait until they’re at the table to explain the game’s tone and core concepts. Use classification and content warnings. Set clear expectations, but keep the intro concise.

Keep it light
Players only need to grasp the basic mechanics before starting: the dice pool and the Weird dice. Explain other rules as they come up during play—don’t overwhelm players with too many details upfront. If characters get stuck, offer suggestions and remind players of mechanics they can use, like rerolling the pool, providing help, or summoning.

Stay with the flow
The game is as much about player interaction as it is about world discovery. Urban Legends, campaign frameworks, and your own prep notes are just starting points. Stay open to unexpected twists and player suggestions. Keep the game moving, don’t get too attached to ideas or concepts.

When you’re stuck, tell the players
If the game ventures into uncharted territory and you feel lost or overwhelmed, pause and be honest with the players. Ask for their help or steer things back toward familiar ground.

Make sure everyone feels safe
The Lost Bay is full of uncanny, unsettling, and sometimes violent creatures and situations. Ensure everyone feels safe emotionally by using safety tools like Veils, Lines, and the X-Card.

Beyond formal tools, check in with players before unfolding intense moments, such as body transformation, loss of control, or death. If a scene is particularly distressing, and players are feeling distressed, involve them in shaping it, ensuring it remains engaging rather than uncomfortable.

Involve players
Run the game with the players, not against them. They are your accomplices in adventure. Give them space to come up with creative, unexpected ideas, just as you do.

Ask questions
Engage players by asking questions directed at their characters. Ask how they feel about unfolding events. Dig into their backstories, relationships, and connections to NPCs. Use their answers to enrich the word and the adventure.

Be open about dangers
When characters are about to face something dangerous, or if they unknowingly step into harm’s way, be transparent. Players should always know what’s at stake before taking action.

Break the rules
Everything in this book is a framework to support fun and immersive play. Don’t be afraid to experiment, bend, or even break the rules if it creates a more meaningful and engaging experience for your table.

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