Northern Cliff

Allow us a small favor: give free rein to your imagination to encounter people who have never existed, though some of them may seem strangely familiar to you.

A tabletop role-playing game set in the county of North Cliff, a land steeped in mystery, ambition, and old debts. You and other noble families gather for a reception at the Windem estate, but not everyone will leave with an untarnished reputation.

The game takes place in late 19th-century England—a time when the old aristocratic world still held sway but was beginning to feel the approach of change. Beyond the estates, railroads were being built, industrial cities were expanding, and society was transforming, yet in the rural counties, time seemed to flow differently. Here, family name, lineage, and reputation still mattered.

First and foremost, you must understand that this story is not about heroes saving the world, nor is it about villains seeking to destroy it. It is a story about people.

There are no dice in this game. Fate is not determined by chance. Instead, every success and every defeat is the result of your decisions.

Open violence is seldom employed here: sometimes a human word hurts more than a knife, and your story, as mentioned before, is always about people and for people.

Before the party, each player invents their noble house—a piece of which they are: what it is known for in the county, what it prides itself on, and what it carefully conceals from its neighbors. Together, these houses form a community with its own history, reputations, and old scores.

All families are mapped onto a master sheet (the future map) surrounding Windem Manor, determining the distance of each house. Connections must be concrete narratives. This forms a living, real community within the Northcliffe county.

Distance from Home

The county where the families live is famous for its frequent bad weather and difficult roads, so leaving the house always comes at a cost. The map is divided into three rings. For instance, the Inner Circle—the Windem family’s neighbors—is accessible between scenes without an extra charge.

Relationship Lines

Once all families are created, players begin connecting them to one another, drawing these connections onto the map. Each connection must represent a complete narrative. For example: «My father saved him from ruin, but in return demanded a favor.»

Filling Out the Character Sheet

After creating your family and relationships, the player begins to build their character. To start, you receive a blank character sheet with the following fields to complete: Name and family role, Family motto and secret, Past wound, Personal desire, Weakness, Manipulation, Characteristics, and a section for notes.

Attributes

At the start of the game, the player allocates values from 1 to 4 across these attributes. One attribute receives a 4, one receives a 3, one receives a 2, and the last receives a 1. This allows for an immediate determination of the character’s strengths and weaknesses.