Scars represent the permanent changes that occur to a character. When you take a scar, you’ll write down a narrative change to your character based on the nature of the attack that caused the scar—if it’s Body, it might be a permanent limp or a missing eye; if it’s Brain, it might be that you’ve become withdrawn or reckless; and if it’s Bleed, it might be that you are always dripping with black ichor or your body now grows small tendrils where you once had hair.
You also must remove a point from an Action of your choice, and add a point into a different Action to reflect how your character has changed because of the scar they now carry. You can return to the game once your circle gets you to somewhere safe.
Scars & The Legacy of Harm in Horror
Scars represent the permanent changes that occur to a character. When you take a scar, you’ll write down a narrative change to your character based on the nature of the attack that caused the scar—if it’s Body, it might be a permanent limp or a missing eye; if it’s Brain, it might be that you’ve become withdrawn or reckless; and if it’s Bleed, it might be that you are always dripping with black ichor or your body now grows small tendrils where you once had hair.
You also must remove a point from an action of your choice, and add a point into a different action to reflect how your character has changed because of the scar they now carry. You can return to the game once your circle gets you to somewhere safe.
For example:
I was injured in a fight when a monster attacked. This would be my fourth mark in Body, so I must take a scar instead. I will describe how breaking my leg and gaining a limp affected me.
When a PC takes a scar, we encourage the player to look deeply at their character, and consider the way they might change throughout the campaign. You might say:
My character walks with a limp, so I’m moving a point from
and putting it into . My character has new mobility constraints and experiences pain, so they will be slower on their feet. They will also be more observant of their surroundings because they want to avoid danger and protect their fellow circle members from harm.Equally, you might decide:
My character walks with a limp, so I’m moving a point from Survey and putting it into Move. My character is afraid of being injured again, so they know how to get out of the way of attacks and are quick on their feet. Because they’re experiencing a new fear as a result of their injury, they’re more focused on moving quickly than staying observant of their surroundings.
When you make choices regarding your character’s injuries, remember: people are affected by harm in myriad ways. Disability and mental illness are facets of the human experience and in no way render a circle member incapable of investigating. Furthermore, disability and mental illness are not meant to be convenient narrative beats behind evil actions, or “evil people.” Players should build their characters with care so that they can explore the world of Candela Obscura to the fullest.
On that note, especially due to the legacy of the horror genre, it’s worth clarifying: Brain marks represent mental stress. In the same way a week of long work days, a friend receiving an injury, or witnessing a death would weigh on a person in your world, Candela Obscura members face stressors. If a character takes a Brain scar, consider how the mounting stressors have affected them.
For example:
My character failed to save a friend from magickal harm. In their state of grief, they exhibit outbursts when they experience anger. At the same time, they’re incredibly empathetic, and after this experience they’re especially good at talking with witnesses. Because my character is too distracted by their emotions to behave subtly, I’m going to move a point from
to , as they can now connect more deeply with others.Or:
My character saw a beast explode out of an innocent civilian. They are now confronted with their own mortality and are hesitant to confront the danger they once eagerly faced. This experience has also made them especially protective of their fellow circle members, so now they create meticulous plans for every situation. I’m going to move a point from
to because they are slower to action, and more observant.Or:
My character misused a magickal artifact to devastating effect and is now overwhelmed by high-stakes decisions. Because of this experience, they are even more dedicated to becoming a master of their arcane artifacts, and spend all their free time training. I’m going to move a point from
to , because they are now focusing their studies on magick rather than the mundane.In our experience “insanity” is neither mechanically playable, nor ethical. Scars—especially Brain scars—should be understood as a change, never a lessening.
While Bleed scars may seem removed from this discussion, you should treat them with similar care. The addition of magick does not make the experience of harm any less human. Furthermore, we often analogize what we don’t know—rituals from other cultures, sacred rites and practices from traditions that aren’t our own—to be “strange” or “mystical”. When crafting the magick in your game, we ask you to design with empathy. Every table is different, and many may not appreciate having deeply sacred symbols, artifacts and rituals fictionalized.
For example:
My character witnessed something terrible and, in retaliation, a monster cut the pupil of their eye in half. They now see mysterious apparitions overlaid on the mundane world. They are afraid of this change in themselves, but don’t feel safe telling anyone about it, for fear of endangering an innocent person. I am going to move a point from
to Sense, because they now have a harder time perceiving details, but can see supernatural phenomena they couldn’t before.See the chart below for additional examples. Your character will be out of action, but can return to the game once your circle gets you to somewhere safe.
body scar examples | brain scar examples | bleed scar examples |