Rats with Gats — Rulebook

Part 1: Introduction

Welcome to Rats with Gats, a collaborative storytelling game about ordinary stowaway rats onboard a ship who are transformed into gunslinging Pi-Rat pirates through the radical power of Math Magic!

What Are Pi-Rats?

Pi-Rats are four-foot-tall, gun-toting, ship-stealing rodents created by accident during a long naval war between the Kingdom of Yeld and the Legions of the Deep. Pi-Rats were originally designed to be weapons — disposable soldiers who could overwhelm enemy crews. Instead, they became something far more dangerous: pirates with attitude, cunning, and an unshakeable love of violence and the sea. Pi-Rats are scrappy, loyal to their crews, and almost never die of old age (mostly because they rarely survive that long).

Your Story Begins

You and your fellow players are ordinary rats — stowaways hiding in the cargo hold of a ship sailing the dangerous waters of Yeld. But when an unknown Mathematical mage casts the "Pie" spell, everything changes. You're suddenly bigger, smarter, and armed with an overwhelming urge to commit piracy. You're now a Pi-Rat!

Your first order of business? Steal the ship you're on. Deal with the current crew, establish control, and make it yours. From there, the real adventure begins: choosing a captain, assembling your crew, and committing enough piracy to earn your place in Pi-Rat legend.

The World of Yeld

Yeld is a vast and dangerous fantasy world — a place of magic, monsters, and mystery. The oceans are controlled by the Deep, an ancient oceanic god who wages eternal war against the Vampire Prince Dragul and his Fairy armies, who rule the Kingdom of Yeld. Pi-Rats exist in the chaos between these powers, stealing ships from both sides and carving out their own chaotic existence on the high seas. Naval engagements, both large and small, happen every day across the coastlines. Merchant vessels are frequently attacked, and coastal towns fear invasion from the sea, or occupation from the land. The technological level of the world varies, but is most similar to earth in the early 18th century (the classic era of Pirates!).

Expect to encounter Mermaids, Squidfolk, vengeful ghosts, magical storms, rival pirates, and the occasional Bean Whale who's fallen in love with your ship. Yeld's waters are deadly, unpredictable, and absolutely perfect for good old-fashioned piracy.

Summary of Play

Here is a rough breakdown of what you're about to do. Doing this stuff in this order means you are playing the game right. Good job!

Each Player creates a Pi-Rat crewmember (or Player Character in more traditional terms) and 3 Secret Pirate Techniques before the first scene of the game.
As a group, take turns setting scenes where some Players control their Pi-Rats while others play as the Deep (or Game Master in more traditional terms).
During each scene, participating Pi-Rat Players must attempt to complete Personal and/or Crew Objectives.
During each scene, Deep Players will draw Obstacle cards and challenge the Pi-Rats as they attempt to complete their Objectives.
Pi-Rats will play cards from their Hand to overcome Obstacles established by the Deep.
A scene ends if all Pi-Rat Players have fled from it, or the Deep chooses to end it.
Between scenes, Players vote to Rank up crew members and rotate roles.
Continue creating and resolving scenes in this way until all Personal and Crew Objectives are complete, the story feels like it has reached its natural conclusion, or the Players give up and just want to go home!

What Will You Do?

As a crew of freshly transformed Pi-Rats, you'll face challenges both ridiculous and deadly!

Fight for your Gat (and a proper pirate name)
Navigate crew drama (breakups, gambling debts, cheese theft)
Battle enemies (Nautical Knights, rival Pi-Rats, magical storms)
Commit legendary acts of piracy (or die trying)

This is a game about embracing chaos, celebrating small victories, and telling ridiculous stories together. Your Pi-Rat might retire honorably, but more likely, they'll go out in a blaze of glory doing something appropriately piratical.

What Do I Need to Play?

3–6 Players with a strong enthusiasm for whimsical piracy or rodentia.
A standard deck of playing cards with both Jokers still in there.
A couple sheets of paper, some note cards, and at least 1 pencil for tracking Objectives, Pi-Rats, and Secret Pirate Techniques.

Part 2: Creating a Pi-Rat

Each Player will create a Pi-Rat to play during a game of Rats with Gats! All Players should try to do this together at the same time. To create a Pi-Rat, Players must answer the following 6 questions, and then write down those answers on a sheet of paper (we will call this sheet of paper your Rat Records from now on). Try not to think too hard about your answers, and just go with your gat!

What does your Pi-Rat look like? Pi-Rats often look very similar to one another, but will try to distinguish themselves with a fashionable bandana, handsome eyepatch, or some other form of clothing. Scars, tattoos, makeup, or body paint is also acceptable.
What does your Pi-Rat smell like? Pi-Rats have a keen sense of smell and often identify each other by scent. Before a Pi-Rat gets a proper name, they will usually be referred to only by the smells they produce, both offensive and pleasant ones.
What was the first thing your Pi-Rat said after transforming from a normal Rat into a Pi-Rat? A Pi-Rat's first words are often an indicator or obvious tell about their overall pirate personality.
Is your Pi-Rat good at Math? This has no implications or meaning.
What is something other pirates like about your Pi-Rat? Let another Player answer this question for you.
What is something other pirates hate about your Pi-Rat? Let another Player answer this question for you.

(Don't worry about giving your Pi-Rat a name right now, that comes up later!)

After all Players have finished answering the above questions and writing those answers down in their Rat Records, randomly determine each Player's starting Rank:

Randomly choose one Player to start the game at Rank 3. This Player must play the Deep during the first scene of the game.
Randomly choose one Player to start the game at Rank 1. This Player must play their Pi-Rat during the first scene of the game.
All remaining Players start the game at Rank 2. These Players may choose to play either their Pi-Rat or the Deep during the first scene of the game.

(Once you know your Rank, write it down somewhere in your Rat Records.)

Rank and Hand Size

Your Rank represents your status and reputation within the crew. The higher your Rank, the more respected you are… usually.

Pi-Rats will gain additional Ranks as they play in the following ways:

Complete your first Personal Objective: Gain 1 Rank
Complete your second Personal Objective: Gain 1 Rank
Complete your third Personal Objective: Choose another Pi-Rat to gain 1 Rank
Receive the most votes during Between Scene voting: Gain 1 Rank
Special circumstances determined by the group: Gain 1 Rank

Your Hand size determines how many cards you have available to you for Challenges. Higher Rank means more cards in your Hand, giving you more options during Challenges. (You are not required to share what cards you have in your hand with other Players, and are encouraged not to.)

All Pi-Rats will compare their Ranks to determine Hand Sizes:

Relative Rank	Maximum Hand Size
Highest Rank Pi-Rat(s)	4 cards
Middle Rank Pi-Rat(s)	3 cards
Lowest Rank Pi-Rat(s)	2 cards

Important Note: Anytime your Hand size increases, you immediately draw a card and add it to your Hand. This may happen in the middle of a Scene.

(Once you know your Hand size, shuffle the deck, and then draw cards until you have a number of cards equal to your Hand size. This will be your starting Hand for the first Scene of the game.)

Secret Pirate Techniques

Each Player will create 3 Secret Pirate Techniques for other Pi-Rat Players to use throughout the game.

What's a Secret Pirate Technique? The "One Hundred Secret Pirate Techniques" passed down from generation to generation of Pi-Rats are an invaluable collection of life lessons that have bested some of Yeld's greatest warriors. Each Technique was designed using Math Magic to ensure a Pi-Rat's survival against insurmountable odds. Most of the "One Hundred Secret Pirate Techniques" remain a secret to Yeld's population, but a few have become famous.

Any time a Pi-Rat Player would play a face card when resolving a Challenge, that Challenge is resolved by utilizing a Secret Pirate Technique!

Secret Pirate Techniques represent special moves, tricks, or abilities unique to a skilled pirate. Often these are representative of practical talents, but could just as easily be a magical effect, weird phenomena, or straight-up cartoon logic. Here are some examples:

Secret Pirate Technique #64: "I missed on purpose"
Secret Pirate Technique #3: "Carlos will figure it out"
Secret Pirate Technique #57: "Never trust a hatless captain"
Secret Pirate Technique #90: "I'm not left handed"
Secret Pirate Technique #15: "The Albatross is always watching"
Secret Pirate Technique #99: "I've got a bomb"

Secret Techniques are the coolest (or most ridiculous) things a Pi-Rat could possibly do. When you play a Secret Pirate Technique card, you get to describe how you use that specific technique to automatically succeed at your Challenge in a spectacular way!

Technique Creation

Using individual note cards or scraps of paper, each Player will write down the names of 3 Secret Pirate Techniques.

Once each Player has created 3 Techniques, they will swap those techniques, one at a time, with the other Players. Once all Players have swapped out each of the Techniques they created for ones created by other Players, they will write down those Techniques in their Rat Records. Hopefully you got at least one good one!

(Players do not have to accept a Technique swap as long as they have other options, and are not required to share any details of a Secret Pirate Technique before swapping it with another Player. Sometimes you get a good one, sometimes you're stuck with hot garbage. May the most clever Pi-Rat win.)

Once each player has 3 Techniques written down in their Rat Records, they will then assign each of those Techniques to a different Face Card type (Jack, Queen, King). Anytime a Player plays a Face card during a Challenge they will get to apply the Secret Pirate Technique assigned to that Face Card type!

Pi-Rat Creation Checklist!

At this point in the Pi-Rat creation process, each Player should have the following for their Pi-Rat:

Answers to the 6 questions listed above.
A starting Rank between 1 and 3.
2 to 4 cards in their Hand.
A Secret Pirate Technique assigned to the Jack Face card type (created by another Player).
A Secret Pirate Technique assigned to the Queen Face card type (created by another Player).
A Secret Pirate Technique assigned to the King Face card type (created by another Player).

Objectives

Each Player will write down the following 3 Personal and Crew Objectives in their Rat Records, leaving room for notes next to each listed Objective. Anytime a Pi-Rat Player isn't sure what to do during a Scene, they should always consult their current Objectives for inspiration!

Personal Objectives

Every Pi-Rat knows that to be taken seriously as a pirate, they need to find ways to stand out among the crew. Completing these 3 Personal Objectives is guaranteed to help elevate a Pi-Rat to First Mate, or even Captain status. Every Pi-Rat should try to complete these three Objectives in this order during any Scene they are in. Once an Objective has been completed, make a note of it in your Rat Records.

Personal Objective 1: Get a Gat (or something just as good)

Acquire a weapon worthy of a pirate. This could be a pistol (a "gat"), a cutlass, a modified ship's tool, or anything else impressive and dangerous.

Gat Privileges: While you have a Gat (completed your first Personal Objective), Black cards you play (♣ Clubs and ♠ Spades) during Challenges have their Value increased by 1.

For example: If a Pi-Rat with a Gat would play a six of Clubs from their hand, that six of Clubs counts as a seven of Clubs when comparing it to the Value of an Obstacle during a Challenge.

Gat Tax: When a Pi-Rat without a Gat would face a Challenge, they may instead ask another Pi-Rat in the same Scene who has a Gat to attempt the Challenge for them. The Pi-Rat with a Gat may choose to accept this Gat Tax or refuse it.

If they accept the Gat Tax: The Gatless Pi-Rat must give the Gat-having Pi-Rat one card from their Hand (the Gat-having Pi-Rat chooses which card without looking at it). The Gat-having Pi-Rat then must attempt the Challenge, sharing in the successes and failures of that Challenge's resolution with the originally Challenged Pi-Rat.
If they refuse the Gat Tax: They must give their Gat to the Gatless Pi-Rat, who immediately counts as having completed Personal Objective 1. The newly Gatted-out Pi-Rat then must attempt the Challenge as normal.
- If the newly Gatted-out Pi-Rat succeeds at the Challenge, they get to keep the Gat! The original owner loses their Gat and must complete Personal Objective 1 again before they count as having a Gat.
- If the newly Gatted-out Pi-Rat fails the Challenge, they must give the Gat back to its original owner, and they cannot initiate a Gat or Name Tax against another Pi-Rat for the remainder of the Scene. Tough luck!

(Make sure to write down any changes to Personal Objectives in your Rat Records!)

Personal Objective 2: Earn a Name (a normal one is fine)

Gain a proper pirate name through your deeds. This might be bestowed by the crew, earned through a daring action, or claimed after a significant moment. The first few names a Pi-Rat receives will often be temporary ones, like "Piss Whiskers" or "Dainty Spanker". Eventually, a Pi-Rat will earn a real name from the small but ever-growing list of acceptable Pi-Rat names, such as "Carlos", "Barry", or "Jaspar".

Name Privileges: While you have a Name (completed your second Personal Objective), Red cards you play (♦ Diamonds and ♥ Hearts) during Challenges have their Value increased by 1.

For example: If a Pi-Rat with a Name would play a four of Diamonds from their hand, that four of Diamonds counts as a five of Diamonds when comparing it to the Value of an Obstacle during a Challenge.

Name Tax: When a Pi-Rat with a Gat but no Name would face a Challenge, they may instead ask another Pi-Rat in the same Scene who has both a Gat and a Name to attempt the Challenge for them. The Pi-Rat with a Name may choose to accept this Name Tax or refuse it.

If they accept the Name Tax: The Nameless Pi-Rat must give the Named Pi-Rat one card from their Hand (the Named Pi-Rat chooses which card without looking at it). The Named Pi-Rat then must attempt the Challenge, sharing in the successes and failures of that Challenge's resolution with the originally Challenged Pi-Rat.
If they refuse the Name Tax: They must give their Name to the Nameless Pi-Rat, who immediately counts as having completed Personal Objective 2. The newly Named Pi-Rat then must attempt the Challenge as normal.
- If the newly Named Pi-Rat succeeds at the Challenge, they get to keep the Name! The original owner loses their Name and must complete Personal Objective 2 again before they count as having a Name.
- If the newly Named Pi-Rat fails the Challenge, they must give the Name back to its original owner, and they cannot initiate a Gat or Name Tax against another Pi-Rat for the remainder of the Scene. Better luck next time!

Personal Objective 3: Die Like a Pirate (some pirates retire instead; those pirates are smarter than you)

Go out in a blaze of glory doing something appropriately piratical, OR survive long enough to earn an honorable retirement. Most Pi-Rats won't retire.

Crew Objectives

The only way a Pi-Rat crew will succeed is through teamwork and cooperation. Completing all 3 of these Crew Objectives is the main goal of the game! The crew must try to complete these Objectives together in this order during any scene they are in. Once an Objective has been completed, make a note of it in your Rat Records.

Crew Objective 1: Steal a Ship (the one we're on right now is a good choice)

Take control of a vessel. We're probably already on a ship, which is quite convenient! We'll need to deal with the current crew, establish control, and make it truly ours.

Crew Objective 2: Choose a Captain (there always needs to be one pirate making the tough calls and taking the blame)

Establish a leader for the crew. This can happen through consensus, challenge, or chaos — but someone must take responsibility.

Crew Objective 3: Commit Piracy (this isn't a job, it's a lifestyle)

Engage in proper pirate shenanigans: raid another vessel, plunder a coastal town, steal or bury treasure, establish your reputation, or otherwise embrace the pirate life.

Pi-Rat Captains

Eventually, your crew of Pi-Rats is going to need a leader. When the time comes for a captain to be chosen, follow these instructions.

Becoming Captain: Once the Pi-Rats control a ship (completing Crew Objective 1), one of them must become Captain. Initially, the highest-Ranked Pi-Rat becomes the de facto Captain. Any Pi-Rat may Challenge for leadership at any time during a scene that both the challenging Pi-Rat and the current Captain are in. The Captain remains in power until they give up the position, are defeated in a leadership challenge, would be killed, or the ship is lost.

Captain Privileges: The Captain has their Hand size increased by 1, regardless of their Rank. The Captain always has final say in all disputes about ship or crew decisions. In the case of a crew vote, the Captain's side always wins ties.

Captain Tax: Being the Captain is a lot of pressure! Captains lose 1 Rank each time they personally fail a Challenge during a scene (it's lonely at the top).

Part 3: Playing the Game

Once each Player has finished creating a Pi-Rat, it's time to start playing! Play happens over multiple Scenes where Players will describe the actions, adventures, and hardships of the Pi-Rat crew as they attempt to complete their Objectives. Play always starts with setting a Scene.

Setting Scenes

Before each Scene begins, including the very first one, complete these setup steps:

Step 1: Declare Roles! Each Player announces what role they will be taking on during the following Scene. During each scene, Players will split into two roles: Pi-Rat Players and Deep Players.

Pi-Rat Players control their individual Pi-Rat characters, attempting to complete Objectives and overcome challenges through clever card play and creative narration. They describe their character's actions, play cards to overcome Obstacles, and use their Secret Pirate Techniques at crucial moments.
Deep Players represent the Obstacles, dangers, and chaos of the world. They set scenes, control environmental hazards, play antagonists, and determine when Pi-Rats must face challenges. Deep Players narrate anything related to the world and Obstacles they control, working to make the story appropriately exciting and dramatic (but not impossible).

There must be at least 1 Pi-Rat Player and 1 Deep Player in every Scene. Players who were Deep Players in the previous Scene must play their Pi-Rats in the following Scene.

Step 2: Shuffle and draw Obstacles! Return all cards from the discard pile to the deck (if any), then shuffle the deck as best you can. Once the deck has been shuffled, Players will draw cards from the top of the deck and add them to the Obstacle List until the total number of cards on the Obstacle list is at least one greater than the total number of Deep Players in the following Scene. Each card and suit is associated with a specific Obstacle listed on the Obstacle Type Charts.

For example: If there are two Deep Players and one Obstacle already on the list, draw and add two more cards to the Obstacle list (for a total of three).

Step 3: Frame the Scene! Using the Obstacle List as inspiration, along with the current Crew and Personal Objectives, Deep Players collaboratively set the Scene for the Pi-Rat Players. Players should try to establish some of the following details before a Scene begins:

Where the Pi-Rats are currently located (most likely a part of the ship)
What they're doing or were just doing (most likely pirate stuff)
What interesting situation they're in (most likely something silly or dangerous)
How the Obstacles might immediately manifest in the Scene (try to create an urgent problem for the Pi-Rats to resolve)

Once all 3 Setting Scenes steps are complete, it's time to start the Scene!

Setting the First Scene of the Game!

When players set the first Scene of the game, they need to establish that the Pi-Rats are either already on a ship that they can then steal or will have an opportunity to steal one within that first Scene. This is a game about being on a boat. Don't start your Pi-Rat players a million miles away from water, or in some landlocked city tavern. Pi-Rats don't belong in those places.

(Reminder: Each Player should have drawn a number of cards from the deck equal to their maximum Hand size during Pi-Rat Creation to establish their starting Hand for the first Scene.)

Playing Out a Scene

Once a Scene has begun, Players will participate based on the role they chose during step 1 of Setting Scenes!

If you're playing a Pi-Rat: Pi-Rat Players narrate their characters' actions as they work toward their Objectives and overcome Obstacles. They describe what they're attempting, roleplay interactions, and make decisions for their Pi-Rat.

If you're playing the Deep: Deep Players control everything else: NPCs, environmental hazards, enemy actions, and the Obstacles themselves. When a Pi-Rat attempts something risky or important, any Deep Player may call for a Challenge. Deep Players are encouraged to evenly distribute Obstacles among them so that each Deep Player is in charge of one or more specific kinds of Obstacles the Pi-Rats may have to face. Alternatively, Deep Players may share all Obstacles, for a more freeform approach.

Ending a Scene

Deep Players will guide Pi-Rat Players through the Scene, challenging them and creating situations in which those Players will have a chance to accomplish Personal and/or Crew Objectives. While there is no specific length of time a single scene should last, there are a few minimum requirements that must be met before Players should consider ending a Scene:

Deep Players should feel free to end a scene once each participating Pi-Rat Player has been challenged at least once during the Scene, and has a chance, successfully or not, to progress or complete one or more of their Objectives.
Deep Players should feel free to end a Scene if there are no Obstacle cards currently on the Obstacle list.
Deep Players should feel free to end a Scene once all Pi-Rat Players have either left the Scene of their own accord (by fleeing) or have otherwise been removed from participating in the Scene narratively (death, capture, knocked out, or otherwise incapacitated).

(Remember: It's up to the Deep Players to end each Scene, but Pi-Rat Players are always free to flee from the current scene at the cost of failing to progress or complete any Objectives.)

Between Scenes

After each Scene concludes, complete these upkeep steps before starting a new one:

Step 1: Pirate Ranking (Voting)! Each Player nominates one OTHER Pi-Rat Player to Rank up based on their actions during the previous scene. Players should vote for the Pi-Rat who best exemplifies an agreed-upon set of Pirate qualities (which is up for interpretation). All Players should reveal their votes at the same time. If a single Player receives more nominations than any other, they increase their Rank by 1 (make note of this in your Rat Records). If there's a tie, Players should discuss and decide together, or choose randomly which tied Player Ranks up. Players who took on the role of the Deep during the previous scene are ineligible for nomination but may still Vote.

Step 2: Additional Rank bonuses! If a Pi-Rat Player successfully completes the first or second Personal Objectives during the previous Scene, they gain 1 Rank for each completed. If a Pi-Rat Player completed their third Personal Objective during the previous scene, they will choose another Pi-Rat Player to gain 1 Rank instead. If a Pi-Rat Player is unsure whether they completed a Personal Objective during the previous scene, they may ask the other Players to decide by vote.

Step 3: Deep Players Draw Cards! Any Player who took on the role of the Deep during the previous scene may discard any number of cards from their Hand, and then draw back up to their current maximum Hand size (determined by Rank). This represents their Pi-Rat resting while others took the spotlight.

Step 4: Start a new Scene! Repeat steps 1–3 from the Setting Scenes section to continue playing!

Ending the Game

After the Players have played through multiple Scenes, stringing together a narrative using the various events and Challenges presented by the Deep, they may feel like they are ready to wrap up their story. Players should feel free to stop playing whenever they like, but to get the best experience out of Rats with Gats, Players will want to make sure they accomplished these minimum requirements before ending the game:

Make sure each Player has had a chance to take on the role of the Deep at least once during a Scene.
Make sure each Pi-Rat has had a chance to complete at least one Personal Objective during a Scene.
Make sure the Players have had a chance to complete all 3 Crew Objectives over the course of the game.

It can be a lot of fun to include a short wrap-up Scene at the end of the game. During this Scene, all Players will get to play as their Pi-Rats as they party til they pass out in a pirate pile! Players are encouraged to have a real life party as well! An absolute rager would be preferred, but a small celebration is acceptable.

The Obstacle List & Type Charts

The Obstacle List tracks all potential threats and difficulties facing the Pi-Rats, and is made up of one or more cards from the deck that have been placed face up on a surface visible to all Players. After a Player plays a card during a Challenge, that card is placed in a column underneath the assigned Obstacle card for that Challenge. When a card is placed this way, rotate it 90° so its orientation is different from the Obstacle card above it.

The last card played to an Obstacle's column (including the Obstacle itself) determines its value during a Challenge, but the original Obstacle card will always determine the suit color of the Obstacle, and what entry from the Obstacle Type Charts that card represents.

Obstacle charts determine, narratively, the kinds of Obstacles the Pi-Rats will encounter during a Scene. There are four Obstacle Charts, one for each card suit.

♣ Clubs — Unwanted Passengers

These types of Obstacles represent unexpected visitors, stowaways, and boarding parties.

A	Animal Stowaways — Octopuses, seagulls and lobsters infiltrating the crew, pretending they belong while being terrible at their jobs!
2	Squidfolk Fisherman — Confused passenger who thinks this is a merchant vessel looking to buy his daily catch. He is quite insistent!
3	Goblin Research Team — These interstellar beings like to conduct invasive studies all across Yeld. For whatever reason, the Pi-Rats have captured the Goblins' attention, and now they won't leave the ship alone! At least the goblins are mostly harmless, even if they are annoying and constantly in the way with their invasive probing.
4	Fairy Deserter — Deserter from an enemy vessel seeking asylum. No one trusts a deserter, but Fairies are almost five times the size of a Pi-Rat. It might be best to play nice!
5	Loitering Mermaid — Mermaids love to hitch rides on unsuspecting ships, drinking all the booze, smoking all the cigarettes, and starting all kinds of drama among the crew. Some Mermaids do this professionally as saboteurs, while others simply do it for the love of the game.
6	Mergang — A group of Mermaid Privateers have emerged from the ocean below to board the ship in a good old-fashioned robbery. While these Mermaids aren't necessarily out for blood, they are highly trained in naval combat and won't back down easily!
7	Lustful Bean Whale — A giant, magical whale made of beans! The creature seems to have mistaken the ship for a potential mate. If the Bean Whale gets too frisky, its massive body could do some real damage to the ship!
8	Nautical Knights — Oh Shit, it's the feds! A band of Vampire Knights loyal to the Kingdom of Yeld have snuck aboard somehow and are slaughtering everyone on the ship. It's every Rat for themselves!
9	Deep Mage Fleet Inquisitor — Deep Mages are powerful spell casters who work directly for the oceanic god hidden below the waves. This Deep Mage is currently inspecting and investigating all seafaring vessels in the area, looking for traitors, turncoats, and spies working directly against the Deep. It's probably best to cooperate and hope we get a pass!
10	Pi-Rat Commodore — A Pi-Rat commodore has come to claim the ship as one of their own by out-pirating the current Captain. We can't let ourselves be absorbed into some other rat's crew!
J	Annoying Sailor — Ship's previous crewmember who wants their bunk back, and maybe some revenge.
Q	Bossy First Mate — Ship's previous first mate still trying to give orders. The problem is some of the crew keep listening to 'em!
K	Vengeful Captain — Ship's previous Captain who refuses to let go, and keeps challenging the current Captain for control of the ship.

(Note about Ghosts: Sometimes the Pi-Rats must face an unwanted passenger again, even if they had killed them in a previous Scene. When this happens, the unwanted Passenger will return as a ghost, haunting the crew in obstructive ways and creating challenges like any other Obstacle would.)

♠ Spades — Oceanic Occurrences

These types of Obstacles represent environmental dangers and external threats from the sea.

A	Freaky Fog — Heavy fog has reduced visibility to almost nothing, and the crew is a little spooked. Everyone should be extra careful!
2	Dead Seas — A strange, ghostly stillness and silence claims the area. No waves, no wind, no life to be found. The living shouldn't stay here for long!
3	Secret Reefs — Dangerous shallow waters and secret reefs hide who knows what else. Navigating this will be difficult!
4	Deep Legion Blockade — A blockade of Deep Legion Ships has cut off our route. They may want to come aboard to perform an inspection before we can pass. Better be on our best behavior!
5	Pirate Hideout — A secret pirate island happens to be nearby. Crews from all over come to drink, relax, and swap tales with each other. Sometimes a fight breaks out, but most pirates end up surviving it, so no hard feelings!
6	Wicked Whirlpool — A Whirlpool of epic proportions has captured every vessel in the area, sending everyone spiraling. The Whirlpool threatens to pull the ship down, along with everything else. Is it natural, or is there something else going on?
7	Floating Fairy Fortress — Fairy sailors working for the Vampire Prince have built a massive fortress that floats off the Kingdom's coastline. The fortress has decimated Legion ships for a season, and most pirates have fled the area. If any Fairy scouts spot us we'll have a nasty cannon battle on our hands!
8	Frozen Fury — A brutal blizzard has covered the sea in freezing rain and thick snow, and crew members are freezing in place across the ship. Worse still, hidden icebergs have been spotted nearby!
9	Hurricane Havoc — A massive and deadly storm comes rolling in. The wind and rain beats the ship from all sides as the waves throw it every which way. Secure the cargo! Batten down the hatches! Get below deck!
10	Ship-wrecker Queen's Graveyard — A colossal, Kaiju-sized Mermaid known as a Shipwrecker Queen has made a hunting grounds out of the area. In her wake is an endless graveyard of ships, stacked and strewn across the sea. Each ship in the graveyard was torn apart by the hands of the massive Mermaid, as she scoured the vessels for any tasty crew to eat. Don't let her see us, or we'll be next!
J	Fish Storm — The ship is being pursued by a magic fish storm. Aquatic life of all shapes and sizes rain down from the clouds above, and they seem just as upset about it as we are!
Q	Mysterious Pursuers — The ship is being chased by an unknown vessel. It seems to keep its distance, but may retaliate if provoked. Who could it be?
K	Cursed Island — A strange island keeps appearing before the ship, no matter the direction we sail in. Almost every crewmember says they've had strange dreams about the island for days, and a few have even claimed to have heard whispers and voices beckoning the crew to investigate. We need answers!

♥ Hearts — Pi-Rat Problems

These types of Obstacles represent internal crew conflicts and personal issues.

A	Over Served — Everyone got really drunk on the job. This isn't really a problem for Pi-Rats.
2	Pirate Flu — There's a bug going around the ship and everyone is calling in sick to work!
3	Tail Measuring Contest — A tail measuring contest has led to some major Gat Envy amongst the crew! Everybody is in their feelings about it, and petty arguments have broken out several times.
4	Gambling Problems — The Pi-Rats have been gambling over everything and it's starting to cause tension and debt. Crew members have lost all their possessions, and there's even been talk about "collecting kidneys" next. There's only one way out for those in debt: More gambling!
5	Scurvy — The scourge of the seas! Scurvy has taken down many a Pi-Rat, and now it's come for the crew. There are few things more dramatic than a Pi-Rat who thinks they are dying of Scurvy.
6	Doldrums — A wave of depression has hit the crew, and everyone's feeling pretty down right now. What's even the point, ya'know?
7	Bad Breakups — A lover's quarrel has divided the crew! Everyone has to choose a side, and it's going to be really awkward for a while.
8	Crew Wedding — Members of the crew are getting married! Everyone is trying to juggle their pirate duties with their wedding duties, and nothing is going right.
9	Double Down Dares — A series of escalating pirate dares among the crew has gotten completely out of hand. If this keeps going, someone's going to get shot on purpose, or worse, sink the ship!
10	Cheese Thief — Someone has been stealing cheese, and now everyone is livid. Crimes like these are too important to let slide. Everyone stop what you're doing! The culprit must be found, and immediately dealt with… Pi-Rat style.
J	Super-duper-stitious — The crew has grown superstitious as of late, and morale has taken a dive. Only more superstition can save us!
Q	Pirate Curse — The crew has been magically cursed by some unknown thing. There has to be some kind of complicated or convoluted way of breaking it!
K	Among Us — Someone on the ship is a traitor, and everyone is suspicious of everyone else. The traitor must be found before they can sell us out to our enemies!

♦ Diamonds — Ship Troubles

These types of Obstacles represent damage and malfunctions affecting the vessel.

A	Rat Bastards — Regular rats have eaten through the cargo, destroying, devouring, and defecating on everything below deck. It's a real mess!
2	Slip and Slide — The deck has been freshly swabbed, but the crew used slippery soap to do it. Those fools! Now everyone is sliding around. Some have even slipped overboard!
3	Broken Straps — Loose cargo has broken from its secured position and is rolling around dangerously all over the ship. The cargo must be collected and tied back down before it's lost or someone gets squished!
4	Low Supplies — The ship is running low on the essentials: alcohol, tobacco, fresh water, and food (in that order). If we don't get some supplies soon we'll have a bunch of starving, cranky, and sober mutineers on board!
5	Torn Sails — The sails have been badly shredded, slowing the ship's max speed significantly. These sails will need to be patched or replaced!
6	Jammed Helm and Rudder — Something has jammed or damaged the rudder and now the helm won't budge. We can't change course!
7	Stuck Anchor — The anchor won't lower or raise. Either it's stuck somewhere on the reefs, wreckage or sea bed, or it won't deploy at all, causing the ship to drift in the wind and waves!
8	Broken Bilge Pump — The bilge pump has failed and the ship has begun taking on too much water. Somebody get some buckets before we sink!
9	Severed Mast — The main mast has been heavily damaged, compromising the rigging and sails. The ship isn't going anywhere now!
10	Powder Bomb — The ship's stockpile of ammunition and explosives has detonated, causing massive damage and starting several large fires. Some of the crew have already fled, but the ship can still be saved if everyone works together!
J	Mystery Leak — Somewhere on board is a leak, and no one can seem to find it. Maybe it's random magical phenomena, or maybe it's something more nefarious? If the leak isn't dealt with, we're all going to wake up under water!
Q	Bad Navigation — Incorrect navigational charts and bad directions have sent the ship way off course and into stranger seas. Where are we, and where do we go from here?
K	It's Alive — The ship is brought to life through magical means. It's not going to cooperate without an incentive, now that it has its own wants and needs.

Resolving Challenges

During the course of a Scene, Pi-Rats will eventually be challenged by the Deep using the Obstacles available from the Obstacle list. When a Deep Player calls for a Challenge, a Pi-Rat Player follows these 6 steps to resolve it:

Step 1: Establish Stakes! Deep Players give a brief explanation of what success and failure would mean for the Challenged Pi-Rat.

Step 2: Apply Obstacles! Deep Players determine which Obstacles from the Obstacle List apply to this challenge, and describe how they are applied against the Pi-Rat. At least one Obstacle must be applied to a Challenge, but there is no limit to the total number of Obstacles that can be applied to a single Challenge. Deep Players should try their best to design their challenges around the Obstacles available to them. If an Obstacle doesn't seem appropriate for the Challenge being created, don't use that Obstacle!

Step 3: Play Cards! The Pi-Rat Player then plays one card from their Hand to each applied Obstacle, comparing their values:

If the played card's value beats the Obstacle's value: The Pi-Rat succeeds against the Challenge created by that Obstacle.
If the played card's value is equal to or lower than the Obstacle's value, or no card is played: The Pi-Rat fails against the Challenge created by that Obstacle.

Card Values: A card's "Value" is determined by the number or letter listed on the card.

Card	Value
Number cards (2–10)	Face value
Aces	1 (lowest)
Face cards	Based on the challenged Player's current Rank (see Using Face Cards)

(If a Challenge would have more than one Obstacle applied to it, a Pi-Rat only needs to succeed at one of those Obstacles to succeed at that Challenge, but each Obstacle they do fail against will create a complication or repercussion despite the Pi-Rat's overall success.)

Step 4: Place Cards! After a card is played from Hand during a challenge, the played card is placed face up in a column just below the challenging Obstacle card and then rotated 90° (compared to the Obstacle card's orientation). This helps distinguish played cards from Obstacle cards. The last played card placed in a column becomes that corresponding Obstacle's new value for future challenges. This means that each time an Obstacle is applied to a Challenge, and a card is played to its column, the difficulty to succeed against that specific Obstacle will be different the next time it is applied!

For example: A Pi-Rat player succeeds against an Obstacle with a value of 4 by playing a card with a value of 7 against it. The played card is then placed (and rotated 90°) below the Obstacle card it was played against. Now, the next time that Obstacle is used in a Challenge, its value is 7 instead of 4.

Step 5: Narrate Results! Based on successes and failures, Pi-Rat Players will narrate exactly what happens as a result of a Challenge! During a Challenge, the suit of the card you use to successfully beat an Obstacle determines how you overcome it. Pi-Rats will go about solving most problems in one of four ways. If these four options can't produce a satisfying solution to any given problem, a Pi-Rat may have to apply a Secret Pirate Technique instead, which always works!

♣ Clubs	Shootin' and Stabbin': You use violence, combat, or direct confrontation
♦ Diamonds	Swimmin' and Sailin': You use nautical skills, athletics, or mobility
♠ Spades	Sneakin' and Schemin': You use stealth, deception, or cunning plans
♥ Hearts	Shoutin' and Singin': You use social skills, performance, or charisma

Narrate your action according to the suit you played! If successful, narrate how you overcame the Challenge. If unsuccessful, narrate how you failed to overcome the Challenge. Deep Players should feel free to offer additional narration to the outcome of any failed Challenge or specific failed Obstacles in a multi-Obstacle Challenge.

(If you play a Face card to beat an Obstacle, you will instead use the name of your Secret Pirate Technique associated with that Face card type to narrate the outcome of the Challenge.)

Step 6: Draw Cards! After completing the Challenge, the participating Pi-Rat Player will draw 1 card and add it to their Hand for each card they played that matched the suit color (red or black) of the original Obstacle card it was played against. Always make sure you are paying attention to the suit color of Obstacles and the cards you play against them!

(For example: If you played a Heart card from your Hand on a Diamond Obstacle, you would draw a card and add it to your Hand. Alternatively, if you played a Diamond card on a Club Obstacle, you would not draw a card, as their colors do not match.)

Using Face Cards

Face cards and Jokers have unique effects during Challenges when played by a Pi-Rat Player or used as an Obstacle by a Deep Player.

Jacks, Queens, and Kings (Secret Pirate Techniques)

When played as a Pi-Rat: When you play a face card during a Challenge, you are utilizing one of your three Secret Pirate Techniques against that Challenge. When you use a Secret Pirate Technique against a Challenge, you automatically succeed regardless of the Challenging Obstacle's current value. Describe your amazing Technique in action, and how it helps you resolve the Challenge at hand. Using a Secret Pirate Technique always counts as a success, even if the Technique seems completely useless for the current Challenge. Use your imagination. Get silly with it!

When drawn as or placed below an Obstacle: When a face card is currently on the Obstacle list, or is below an Obstacle as a previously played card, its value is equal to the Rank of the Pi-Rat currently being Challenged by it. The higher your Rank, the tougher these Challenges will be for you!

(For example: If a Rank 5 Pi-Rat would be Challenged by a Jack of ♦ Diamonds Obstacle, the Value of that Jack would be 5 for the purposes of that Challenge.)

Jokers (Pirate Luck)

Jokers represent moments of chance and luck that can change the tide of any Scene.

When played by a Pi-Rat: Discard one Obstacle from the Obstacle List entirely (along with all cards in a column underneath it) and then draw a new Obstacle card from the deck. Unlike other cards, a Pi-Rat Player may play a Joker at any time before or after attempting a Challenge, which may cancel or significantly change the outcome of that Challenge. This represents a shift in luck or circumstances outside of the Pi-Rat's control. After a Joker is played it is discarded, and play continues as normal.

When drawn as an Obstacle: Immediately discard Jokers when they are drawn this way, then increase the total number of Obstacles the Players must have on the Obstacle list during the following Scene by one (if the Players needed three Obstacles in total for the following Scene, now they need four). The Deep has become particularly treacherous!

Advanced Resolution Mechanics and Questions

Can the Deep say no? Deep players always have a right to veto anything a Pi-Rat Player wants to do without presenting that Pi-Rat Player with a Challenge. If a Pi-Rat Player wants to do something that's too difficult or impossible, or way outside the context or Obstacles of the scene, Deep Players should step in and guide the Pi-Rat player to more reasonable options. This includes when a Pi-Rat Player is narrating their success against a Challenge. (Inevitably the story is going to go off the rails, so there's really no need to rush it. This is a silly game about silly characters, you will get more than one chance to jump over a shark.)

Can multiple Pi-Rats attempt the same Challenge? If a Challenge would have more than 1 Obstacle applied to it, other Pi-Rats participating in the scene but not in the Challenge may play one of their own cards against one of the Obstacles of the current Challenge on behalf of another Pi-Rat Player. The assisting Pi-Rat Player will get to narrate how they try to help the currently Challenged Pi-Rat overcome an Obstacle. If a Pi-Rat Player chooses to help another, they will share in the results of the Challenge, both successes and failures. During step 6 of Resolving Challenges, only the currently Challenged Pi-Rat Player gets to draw cards. Assisting Pi-Rats do not get to draw cards this way.

Can Pi-Rats Challenge each other? Of course! When a Pi-Rat Player wishes to Challenge another Pi-Rat Player that's participating in the same scene, the Challenging Player will choose 1 card from their hand, playing it face up in front of them as a temporary Obstacle, which they will then use during Step 2 of Resolving Challenges. The Challenging Player should be sure to narrate their Challenge based on the suit of the card they used to Challenge with. For example, if a Pi-Rat Player challenges another using a ♣ Club, that Challenge should involve some form of violence, aggression, or show of combat prowess. (Deep Players may apply any other Obstacles to a Challenge between Pi-Rats as normal.) The Pi-Rat Player being challenged will then respond by playing a card of their own against the Challenging Player's temporary Obstacle. The Challenge resolves as normal from here. After the Challenge is completed, discard the temporary Obstacle and all cards played below it. Only the currently Challenged Pi-Rat Player gets to draw cards; Pi-Rats who Challenge other Pi-Rats don't get to draw cards this way.

How do we get rid of Obstacles? Once an Obstacle has been applied to and successfully beaten during Challenges a total number of times equal to the total number of Players in the game, that Obstacle is discarded along with all cards placed below it in a column. This represents the Pi-Rats finally overcoming that particular Challenge. Good job! Obstacles that are not discarded this way remain on the Obstacle list and can still be used to Challenge Pi-Rat Players during the same or subsequent scenes.

(For example: In a 4-Player game, each Obstacle must be successfully beaten during Challenges four times before it's discarded. Players can keep track of how many times an Obstacle has been successfully beaten during a Challenge by looking at each played card in the column just below that Obstacle and comparing its value to the previous card's value.)

Can my Pi-Rat flee from a Scene? Yes! Sometimes the best option is to cut your losses and run. Pi-Rat Players can choose to flee from a Scene anytime before or after a Challenge. Pi-Rats who flee can no longer participate in the Scene and must wait till the next Scene before they may do so again. If a Pi-Rat chooses to flee, they won't count as having made any progress on or completed any Personal or Crew Objectives during that Scene.

What do we do with discarded cards? Anytime a card would be discarded for any reason, it is placed into a pile called the discard pile. Cards in the discard pile can't be played by a Pi-Rat Player or used as an Obstacle by a Deep Player until that card is shuffled back into the deck. All cards in the discard pile are shuffled back into the deck during Step 2 of the Setting Scenes section.

What happens when my Pi-Rat dies or is kicked from the crew? If your Pi-Rat dies heroically, retires honorably, or is kicked from the crew, congratulations — you've completed their story arc! Create a new Pi-Rat following the character creation rules. Your new Pi-Rat will:

Start at Rank 1.
Receive new random Secret Pirate Techniques (created by other Players).
Begin with fresh Personal Objectives.
Join the crew as a new recruit during the next scene. You continue playing with the rest of the crew as normal.

Alternatively, if a Pi-Rat would die, their Player may still play that Pi-Rat but only as a ghost. Ghost Pi-Rats can't interact with the living world nearly as well as living Pi-Rats can, but that doesn't mean they can't still be helpful!

What happens when our ship sinks or is otherwise lost? If you lose the ship before completing all Crew Objectives, the surviving Pi-Rats must steal a new ship. This becomes an immediate priority. In the meantime, the Pi-Rats might:

Wash up on an island and commandeer a vessel in port.
Get rescued by another ship (which you then steal).
Build a raft and upgrade as you go.
Be captured and have to escape with your captors' ship.

Example of Play

Full Example Scene: The Cheesy Heist

Players and their Pi-Rats — Gabe: "Whiskey Shrinkage", Sally: "Piss Whiskers", Jake: "Carlos".

Setting the Scene

Step 1: Declare Roles!

Gabe: "I'll play my Pi-Rat in this scene, since I was the Deep last Scene."
Sally: "I'll be the Deep this time. Piss Whiskers needs a bath, anyway."
Jake: "Carlos is in! And I'm still the Captain, ya hear? So you rats better listen up!"

Step 2: Shuffle and draw Obstacles!

Sally returns all discarded cards to the deck and shuffles thoroughly. There's currently one Obstacle on the Obstacle List from the last scene (the 7 of ♥ Hearts: Bad Breakups). Since there's only one Deep Player (Sally) in this scene, she needs to draw cards until there are a total of two Obstacles on the list. Sally draws from the top of the deck: 10 of ♥ Hearts: Cheese Thief. The Obstacle List now has: 7 of ♥ Hearts: Bad Breakups (value: 7) and 10 of ♥ Hearts: Cheese Thief (value: 10).

Step 3: Frame the Scene!

Sally: "Alright, so you rowdy rats are in the galley below deck, drinking grog, and shootin' the breeze. The crew's been tense ever since that breakup between Salty Socks Pete and Long-Tail Lamar split everyone into factions. But NOW, someone's been stealing the cheese rations, and the crew is absolutely losing their minds about it. Pete's faction blames Lamar's, and Lamar's faction blames Pete's! You all can hear angry shouting from the deck above."

Gabe: "Is there any cheese left?"
Sally: "There's one wheel of aged cheddar sitting on the galley table, guarded by a rotating shift of Pi-Rats from both Factions."
Jake: "Perfect. Carlos wants that cheese. That's a captain's cheese."
Gabe: "I'm on it, Boss!"

Playing Out the Scene — First Challenge

Jake: "Carlos struts into the galley, adjusting his fancy captain's hat. 'Aye, what's all this commotion about cheese, ya yeasty beasties?'"

Sally (as the Deep): "The two guards immediately turn on you. 'Captain! Someone's been stealin' our cheese! How could you let this happen? In this economy, no less!' They're getting pretty heated. I'm calling for a Challenge — can Carlos calm them down before this turns into a mutiny?"

Establish Stakes: Sally: "If you succeed, you calm the crew and maybe figure out who the Cheese Thief is. If you fail, the crew's anger starts growing out of control, and this could get violent."

Apply Obstacles: Sally: "I'm applying both Obstacles. The Bad Breakups Obstacle means half the crew won't listen to anything the other half says, and the Cheese Thief Obstacle represents how absolutely furious everyone is about the missing cheese. Bad Breakups is currently value 7, and Cheese Thief is value 10."

Play Cards: Jake looks at their hand: 8 of ♠ Spades, 3 of ♥ Hearts, Queen of ♦ Diamonds, Jack of ♣ Clubs. Jake: "Oof, that 10 is rough, but I got this. I'll play my 3 of ♥ Hearts against the Cheese Thief Obstacle, and my 8 of ♠ Spades against the Bad Breakups Obstacle."

Place Cards: Jake places their 3 of ♥ Hearts face-up in a column below the 10 of ♥ Hearts: Cheese Thief card, rotating it 90°. They do the same with their 8 of ♠ Spades below the 7 of ♥ Hearts: Bad Breakups card. Bad Breakups' new value is 8 (1 success); Cheese Thief's new value is 3 (0 successes).

Narrate Results: Jake: "Since I played Spades — Sneakin' and Schemin' — Carlos cleverly pulls aside the guards from both breakup factions and whispers to each that the OTHER side is clearly innocent. He gets them to make peace, at least temporarily. BUT, I did fail against the Cheese Thief obstacle..." Sally: "Yeah, the crew unites under their Captain — but they also seem to be itching for some mob justice. Things could still escalate quickly!"

Draw Cards: Jake played a 3 of ♥ Hearts against a 10 of ♥ Hearts. Since both were red, Jake draws 1 card and adds it to their hand.

Second Challenge

Gabe: "While everyone's yelling at Carlos, I sneak toward the cheese wheel on the table, looking for clues, and maybe to steal it." Sally: "Oh no you don't! Challenge time! Can you get close enough to examine and maybe swipe that cheese without getting caught?"

Establish Stakes: Sally: "Success means you get the cheese and some answers. Failure means you get caught red-handed and the crew knows YOU'RE the real Cheese Thief."

Apply Obstacles: Sally: "I'm only applying the Cheese Thief Obstacle. The crew's watching you like rat-hawks. Its current value is 3."

Play Cards: Gabe looks at his hand: 2 of ♣ Clubs, 9 of ♥ Hearts, King of ♠ Spades. Gabe: "I'm going all out. I'll play my King of ♠ Spades! That's a Secret Pirate Technique!" Gabe checks his Rat Records: "My Kings are... Secret Pirate Technique #79: 'There's always a secret entrance sometimes.' Whiskey Shrinkage doesn't even go for the cheese on the table. He knows there's a secret compartment under the floorboards where the REAL cheese stash is hidden. He pops it open and pulls out an entire log of fancy Havarti!" Sally: "You automatically succeed!"

Place Cards: Gabe places his King of ♠ Spades in the column below the Cheese Thief Obstacle, rotating it 90°. Its new value is Gabe's Rank (1 success).

Narrate Results: Gabe: "After opening the secret compartment, Whiskey Shrinkage casually walks out of the galley with a wheel of cheese under each arm while everyone's still yelling at Carlos."

Draw Cards: Gabe played a King of ♠ Spades (black) against a red Obstacle, so he doesn't draw any cards.

Third Challenge

Gabe: "Whiskey Shrinkage is up on deck now, eating cheese openly. He's taunting the crew with it, hoping to draw out the Cheese Thief. 'Will the owner of this delicious havarti come to the lost and found?' I'll make sure everyone can see me, too."

Sally: "Uh Oh! Crew members from across the deck take notice, and everyone is looking around to see who steps up for the cheese! Just as it seems no one is willing to accept ownership, a Pi-Rat jumps down from the crow's nest with her knives drawn, and barrels down on Whiskey Shrinkage. Challenge time!"

Establish Stakes: Sally: "If you succeed, you fight off the Cheese Thief and keep the cheese you found. If you fail, the Cheese Thief beats you up and accuses you of being the Mastermind behind the cheese theft."

Apply Obstacles: Sally: "I'm applying the Cheese Thief Obstacle again — they're absolutely enraged. Its current value is 3. I'm also applying the Bad Breakups Obstacle again, since tensions are so high right now. Its current value is 8." Jake (interrupting): "Wait! I want to help! Can Carlos assist?" Sally: "Sure! You can play a card against one of the Obstacles applied to the Challenge."

Play Cards: Gabe: "I'll play my 9 of ♥ Hearts against the Cheese Thief Obstacle. That beats the 3!" Jake: "And I'll play my Queen of ♥ Hearts against the Bad Breakups Obstacle to help out. That's my 'when in doubt, flirt your way out!' Secret Pirate Technique, which automatically beats the Bad Breakups Obstacle value of 8."

Place Cards: Gabe places his 9 of ♥ Hearts below the Cheese Thief Obstacle (new value 9, 2 successes). Jake places their Queen of ♥ Hearts below the Bad Breakups Obstacle (new value: Rank, 2 successes).

Narrate Results: Gabe: "I played Hearts — Shoutin' and Singin' — so Whiskey Shrinkage starts singing a sea shanty about cheese so beautiful and ridiculous that the sailors stop in their tracks, mesmerized!" Jake: "Carlos joins in with a sexy rat dance, and does their best to give off 'hot captain' vibes." Sally: "Weird, but whatever. You both share in the success — the cheese is safe, and the original culprit puts her knives away and surrenders to the crew. 'I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for your stupid musical number!' the Cheese Thief says."

Draw Cards: Gabe played 9 of ♥ Hearts (red) against a red Obstacle, so he draws 1 card. Jake played Queen of ♥ Hearts (red) against a red Obstacle, so they WOULD draw 1 card, but they were assisting, so they didn't get to draw.

Ending the Scene

Sally: "Alright, let's check the requirements for ending the Scene. Both Pi-Rat Players have been challenged at least once. Has anyone made progress on their Objectives?"

Gabe argues he earned a real pirate name with his clever detective skills and singing. The group votes, and everyone agrees — Gabe's Pi-Rat completes Personal Objective 2 and earns the name "Tim". Jake notes that Carlos is the Captain (Crew Objective 2 complete) and the crew controls the ship (Crew Objective 1 complete), but no piracy has been committed yet. Sally decides to end the scene there: "This was a good warm-up Scene! You rats have had enough fun for now, and we can always come back to this cheese situation later."

Between Scenes

Step 1: Pirate Ranking (Voting): Gabe votes for Carlos, Jake and Sally vote for Tim. Tim gets a Rank, increasing from 3 to 4.

Step 2: Additional Rank Bonuses: Gabe completed his second Personal Objective, so he increases his Rank again, putting him at 5! Tim is now tied with Carlos for highest-ranking Pi-Rat, which means Gabe's Hand size increases by 1. Because his Hand size increased, Gabe immediately draws a card from the deck and adds it to his hand.

Step 3: Deep Players Draw Cards: Sally was the Deep, so she may discard any cards in her Hand, and then draws back up to her maximum Hand size, which is now 2, since she has the lowest Rank of all Pi-Rats.

Step 4: Start a New Scene! Sally: "Okay, next scene! Let's see what other chaos these rats get into..."

Part 4: Setting Information

The Magical Land of Yeld, its powers, and its peoples

The Magical Land of Yeld?

Yeld is a vast and mysterious fantasy land, built on the back of the slumbering Serpent God and harboring ancient secrets. No one knows how old the Magical Land is, and no one has ever seen its edges. The Fairies claim to be the oldest of Yeld's people, and even they have barely explored Yeld's secrets.

Much of the Magical Land is dangerous wilderness. Wildlands where Monsters roam and magic runs free. The people of Yeld make their homes in areas of relative safety, where magical disasters are rarer and Monsters less likely to hunt. Even these territories can be dangerous, and Yeld is littered with the ruins of crumbled cities and lost civilizations. Few kingdoms last long in the Magical Land.

The lands and climates of Yeld are varied. Harsh mountains give way to rainy foothills and plains. Rivers crisscross the lands, intersecting in swampy marshes. Deep forests stretch from coast to coast, and great oceans divide distant land masses and strange islands. Burning deserts, frozen tundra, and even stranger lands can be found in Yeld's most remote regions.

Yeld has always been a place of magic. The Fairies are said to be the oldest inhabitants of Yeld, and they say that when they made their home there they found magic buried deep in the darkest forests and caverns. Some scholars suspect Black Magic is a gift of forgotten gods, all that is left after their magic destroyed them. Others think that all magic comes from the same source, the sacred and unknowable well of power that spawned the great ancient Witches and other monstrous god creatures.

The Vampire Prince, Dragul

The vast majority of Yeld's landmass is under the rule of the Vampire Prince, Dragul. Dragul isn't the rightful ruler of the Kingdom of Yeld, but usurped power from its royal family nearly five hundred years ago with help of the Fairies from the neighboring Fairy Lands. Under Dragul's reign, the Kingdom suffered from a massive civil war that caused a great deal of destruction, and crushed any resistance to the Vampire's rule. Cities burned to the ground, magical disaster claimed huge swaths of the Kingdom, and the undead spread like wildfire. Yeld had been conquered by the Vampire Prince.

Hundreds of years later, the oceanic god known as the Deep sent legions of soldiers to confront the Vampire Prince and the plague of undeath he created. Mermaids, Squidfolk and all manner of sea creatures took to the beaches, rivers, lakes and streams, capturing and conquering towns and resources as they marched. The Kingdom of Yeld responded by mustering its own forces. Fairy Warbands and regiments of Vampire Knights clashed with the legions of the Deep on both the land and sea. As the war progressed, naval combat became a major theatre of battle, and both sides relied heavily on ship-to-ship skirmishes to seize valuable ground and hold important positions. The Vampires and Fairies of the Kingdom were powerful and menacing monsters, but there seems to be no end to the Legions of the Deep.

The Deep

The exact nature and identity of the Deep is one of Yeld's greatest mysteries. No one knows where the oceanic god comes from, what its true motivations are, or what master it may ultimately serve. What is known is that the Deep hates the Vampire Prince, and will stop at nothing to see him, and all forms of undeath, wiped from the Magical Land. The Deep employs all manner of sea creatures, and has even created multiple underwater species for the sole purpose of breeding leaders and heroes to command its mighty legions.

The Pi-Rats of Yeld

Pi-Rats trace their origins to the early days of the war between Prince Dragul and the Deep, although their exact origin is a matter of contention. At some point during the war, Goblin Math Divers of the Five Knives were commissioned to create a new Math Spell to turn the tide of the fierce and bloody ship-to-ship naval combat that had become a hallmark of the war. The Goblins came up with a creative solution, focusing on a resource that was common on every ship. Rats.

The Math spell known as "Pie" is incredibly simple, at least compared to other Math "spells" which sometimes require complex logic engines to cast. The caster recites a string of specific numbers until the spell takes effect. The longer the string of numbers, the more powerful the spell's effect. That effect is to magically transform any nearby rats, greatly increasing their size, cleverness and capability for violence. Since ships were often infested with hundreds of rats, these hordes of "Pi-Rats" could quickly overwhelm a ship's crew, easily taking it out of battle.

The Pie spell was an enormous success. So enormous in fact that Yeld's coastline was quickly overrun by Pi-Rats! It turned out that the Pi-Rats were quite a bit more clever than the Goblins had intended. Clever enough to learn to speak (if they didn't already know how), learn to use weapons and learn to sail. For nearly a decade the entire war came to a halt simply because the Pi-Rats had stolen all the ships!

It turned out the Pie spell worked just as well to turn Pi-Rats back into normal rats, and soon enough every Pi-Rat that could pick out a name for themselves was scurrying off to hide out in coastal villages, remote islands and pirate dens. In the centuries since their sudden emergence in Yeld, Pi-Rats have gained an unsavory but well-earned reputation for chaos, violence and piracy. They are excellent sailors, and gifted fighters despite their small size. Pi-Rats learn incredibly quickly, and when forced to move away from the sea often excel in other trades. But all Pi-Rats love the sea! Perhaps the magic that led to their creation is responsible, but few Pi-Rats care to make lives on land. Pi-Rats are insanely loyal, and will stay with a crew that treats them well until death. Few Pi-Rats live to old age.

Pi-Rats stand about 4 feet tall and are covered in fur. Their hands are fast and nimble, equally capable of tying knots and slitting throats. They have a special love for explosions and violence, and often start fights for fun. Many people notice that Pi-Rats often share the same name. For good reason! There are 43 traditionally accepted Pi-Rat names, although the list does grow every decade or so. To make the list, a Pi-Rat must perform an absolutely famous feat of piracy, sailing, thievery or violence.

Other Peoples of Yeld

King's People: The King's People are human in appearance, with pointed ears, and aside from the Animal Tribes, are the most common people of Yeld. Though the King's People did not originally come from Yeld, they have called the magical land their home for thousands of years. When Dragul usurped control of the Kingdom, it was the King's People he took it from.

Fairies: When the First Kings came to Yeld, they drove the People of the Tribes from the land, forcing them to flee across the Angry Mountains to neighboring realms. The tribes took refuge in the lands of the Fairies, slaughtering the native inhabitants, and taking both the Fairy name and lands as their own. Centuries later, the Fairies have returned to Yeld at the invitation of the Prince, to serve as his army and reclaim their ancient homelands. Fairies are big and furry, with large, pointy ears and sharp, broken teeth. Their fur ranges from white to dark brown in color, with dyed markings and patterns to identify families and tribes. Fairies are strong enough to lift and throw a bull, and their thick fur, muscle, and fat make them very difficult to injure. Their thick tails, low center of gravity, and broad, flat feet also make them very sturdy.

Mermaids: Mermaids are the daughters of the Deep, an ancient god-like being that rules the oceans of Yeld. Mermaids are humanoid, with finned ears and skin colors that vary from orange to purple or pink and even sometimes green or blue. Like other Deepfolk, Mermaids have black eyes that help them see in the darkest waters. Mermaids have long tails and fins that propel them swiftly through water, and can live underwater indefinitely. However, the Deep designed the Mermaids to make war on land, and gave them magic that allowed them to transform their tails into land-worthy legs. Many mermaids spend most of their time living on land and walking on legs. The Deep created Mermaids to be weapons against Prince Dragul, shock troopers that could fight on land and sea against Vampires and Fairies. Mermaids are stronger and more resilient than King's People, and much faster than Fairies. They can breed with King's People, and their children are always Mermaids. Clearly, Mermaids were meant to be a colonizing force, but in the centuries since the war began, more and more Daughters of the Deep decided to make the Kingdom their home. Mermaids who failed in their task feared the wrath of their creator, deciding to take refuge in Yeld's rivers and lakes instead of returning to the Deep in defeat. Mermaids who were born in Yeld know no other life.

Squidfolk: Squidfolk were the first creations of the Deep, an experiment that would later lead to more effective and capable creatures. The first Squidfolk stumbled onto Yeld's shores with a simple mission: infiltrate the communities of the Kingdom, live among the people of Yeld and report back to the Deep to share their findings. The Squidfolk failed at this task spectacularly. It is important to know that Squidfolk have weird squid heads, and so look nothing like anyone else who has ever lived in the Magical Land. The people of Yeld at first didn't really know what to think of these creatures, but quickly decided they didn't like them much at all. Squidfolk were strange looking, smelly and clearly up to something. Nevertheless, these first Squidfolk came back to the Deep with much to report. So the next round of spies were much better prepared, and slowly the people of Yeld began to warm up to these strange Deepfolk. Within a decade or two the Deep had moved on to other designs, and the Squidfolk's role as observers and infiltrators had been passed on to the Octopus Tribe, who were generally much better at everything and well liked by the people of Yeld anyway. Thousands of Squidfolk found themselves suddenly stranded in Yeld with no instructions and nothing much to do. So they just stayed.

Vampires: No one in Yeld had ever heard the word "Vampire" before Prince Dragul appeared in the court of the Last King over one thousand years ago. Dragul introduced himself as the Prince of Vampires, although no one knew if "Vampire" was a title, a place or a people. As Dragul's influence in the court grew he introduced Vampirism to Yeld, promising key members of the Last King's court and royal guard the gift of power and long life in exchange for their loyalty once the King finally passed away. These new Vampires found that they had become as strong as a Fairy, and able to survive nearly any injury. They could fight for days without rest and move at speeds that were hard to track with the naked eye. And like the Prince himself, they did not seem to age at all! Their strength was greater during the night than the day, but that hardly mattered. Nor did the nagging hunger that they felt. Of all the people of Yeld, only the King's People and Mermaids (and, very rarely, members of the Animal Tribes) can become Vampires. Those that Dragul has chosen for his gift lead long and rich lives. This gift comes at a cost, and newly converted Vampires find that they have a hunger which can only be quenched with flesh and blood. Vampires must consume the flesh or drink the blood of living people, but doing so makes them powerful. Without the blood of living creatures, Vampires will eventually retreat into a deep sleep and wither away, although this can take years. The truth is that most Vampires don't need to feed as often as they do and can easily subsist on livestock or blood offerings. As long as Vampires are able to feed on blood they will not die, except from grievous injury or magic.

Goblins: No one knows for sure where Goblins came from, or even what exactly they look like under their strange containment suits. Few outsiders can even speak the Goblins' secret language (although every Goblin seems to know several different languages). Goblins rarely settle in any town for long, but can be found traveling all over Yeld in small groups, trading their strange wares, collecting odd artifacts, and fixing even the most complex or badly damaged mechanisms for a fair price. Nearly every village in Yeld is visited by Goblins at least once a year, and when a Goblin Caravan rolls into town, you know it's time for a party! Because of this, Goblins are much loved by the people of Yeld, even if they aren't well understood. Goblins have large ears, 3-fingered hands, and short, stubby tails. Goblins can't breathe Yeld's air and must wear special filtration masks or complicated suits to stay alive in the Magical Land. Their bodies are short but strong, giving the impression they come from a place with much higher levels of gravity. When a Goblin first comes to Yeld, their skin changes from a ghostly gray to a mossy green, as they adjust to Yeld's foreign environment.

Animal Tribes: Long before Vampires or the King's People, before Fairies or Witches, the Animal Tribes called the Magical Land their home. As the true natives of Yeld, the Animal Tribes have watched countless kingdoms lay claim to the land, only to crumble with time or be conquered again by outsiders trying to claim the Magical Land as their own. Hundreds of different Animal Tribes live below the ocean waves and serve in the legions of the Deep. Octopi, crustaceans, and all manner of fish work tirelessly for their underwater god. Some serve the Deep willingly while others do so under duress.

Ghosts: There is a layer of reality that exists alongside Yeld, but is invisible to the people of the Magical Land. This is the Ghost World. When the people of Yeld die, their Ghosts pass on to the Ghost World. This is not their final destination, but a stop before their Ghosts move on to whatever awaits them. The Ghost World exists as a layer over Yeld, a gray filter over a vibrant world. It is inhabited by the Ghosts of the people, animals, and monsters of Yeld, and these Ghosts are able to look back into the living world and sometimes influence it in small ways. Ghosts sometimes choose to look after their living friends and relatives, or even descendants, and the people of Yeld often leave offerings to honor the dead or ask for their help. Just as often, Ghosts decide to haunt and terrorize the living, and for this reason, Ghost Keepers are always in demand.

Final Thoughts

Rats with Gats is meant to be a game about embracing madness, celebrating small victories, and telling ridiculous stories collaboratively. The Pi-Rats are silly characters in an absurd fantasy world, and that's exactly the point.

Don't take it too seriously. Go with the flow, but make crazy choices. Name your Secret Pirate Techniques shit like "Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru", or "The Cheese Tickler's Gambit", or "Freestyle Rap Battle (Pirate Rules)".

Most importantly: Every Pi-Rat deserves a chance at glory, and every crew deserves at least one completely successful act of piracy before the game ends. Work together to tell a fun story!

And never forget: You are a magical creature made of equal parts rat and math, and somehow, this makes you a pirate. What I'm trying to say is that there are no bad ideas because we've already had them.

— Nick

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