Dead Border Gameplay

I will be posting gameplay assistance intermittently in red text, to help introduce new players to the system.


Your investigator’s characteristics, like Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence, as well as their skills, have a value out of one hundred. The higher the number, the better their ability. Each of these values is a percentage, so when asked to make a roll to determine how well your character is doing something, you roll percentile dice. If you roll lower than or equal to your value, then you usually pass the test. If you look at your skills, the ones with the highest numbers are the things your character is best at doing.

Mr. James Gardiner, a recluse who lives in your boarding house, has not been seen or heard from for two days. Each of you has a reason to see if he is in his room. Through persuasion, bribes, or your own means, the landlord of this boarding house has been convinced to unlock the door and check on the tenant, while also letting you inside.

The year is 1931. You live in Providence, Rhode Island in Ma Shanks’ Boarding House. Times are tough. The Great Depression means that immigrants and long-time residents, including you, are experiencing hard times.
You have all gathered outside the room of Mr. James Gardiner. He’s not been seen for at least two days and everyone
is getting concerned for his well-being.

The Landlord, Marciano, rattles some keys, finding the one for Gardiner’s room. Then, knocking once more just to be sure there is no response, the key is turned in the lock and the door is slowly opened.
From within comes the lingering smell of candles, long since burned out, and something sickly-sweet and copperlike. Looking in, you see it. Framed in the shafts of sunlight streaming through gaps in the curtains. A body!

The body is lying on a tarpaulin, stretched out on the floor. You can see blood. The man’s body and clothing are covered in blood. It looks as though he somehow fell over from a kneeling position. The body is wearing a green tweed coat and a brown sweater-vest—the clothes Mr. Gardiner usually wears. It must be Mr. Gardiner!

The scene is shocking. His head has been mutilated by knife cuts.