21 GunsStarting situationOne person is the GM. The other 3, 4, or 5 players create their characters, which are among of the last 21 Gunslingers.Everyone determines their own character, its appearance and what it's wearing. Also, each player describes their Gunslinger's GUN. Everyone chooses a Noble Quality that defines their character. Players determine together which Quest they are going to do. They must suggest to the GM a starting scene in which they are on horseback, in seeking the object of their Quest. Every Gunslinger's player take 6 token white and 6 token black for the Quest/Corruption Bar.

GM's Tasks Be first the Gunslingers fans (PC) Play everyone else in the story (NPC) Always ask how Gunslingers realize their Effects Ask players about Gunslingers, the world, the Quest Define the world around the Gunslingers Frame the scenes Give everyone a chance to speak and contribute to the game Undermine and oppose the seeking of the Gunslingers Be sure the Gunslingers' story comes to a natural end When Gunslingers Call the Shots be sure there are more

Elements and Purposes at stake than Shots in their hands

Call the ShotsThis is the Conflict mechanic, Call the Shots when: A Gunslinger wants to gain an Effect on the Board A Gunslinger explains a Purpose they wish to reach A Gunslinger Acts Under Pressure A Gunslinger risks being Injured A Gunslinger risks a Corruption

The GM sets which Gunslingers join the Conflict.All the Elements and Purposes explicitly present in a scene need to be solved in a unique resolution. The GM must declare any risk of Injuries, Corruption, or single actions forced Under Pressure. The involved Gunslingers have to declare if they are trying to pursue one (and only one) specific Purpose.Every Gunslinger has one Free Shot. More Shots could be gained through previous Conflict or with the GUNS, but you may place at most 4 Shots

during a Conflict. Each participant may place a Shot in any Board's Element, describing the intentions of his character. The first participant that places a Shot in an Element gains the Effect; everyone else that places their Shot in the same Element gains Effect. Who doesn't place a Shot in that Element gets the Effect, if the Element was expressly present. GM resolves and players resolve & according to Effect's indications on the Board.

The End of the StoryIf a Gunslinger reaches the peak of Corruption value, that character becomes a Traitor and a Blood King's minion, then his player become a GM joining the first. If all the Gunslingers deceive or decease, this triggers the Tragical Ending: Cydonia Falls. Everyone takes a sentence to describe an aspect of the Falling.When a Gunslinger reaches the peak of Quest value, the Quest is accomplished. According to the corresponding grade, starting from the one who has reached the Quest, going down to who has a lesser value, every player chooses from the following list and tells a different Ending. Each Ending is unique, waiting for only one Gunslinger in the group. 1. Return in Triumph, gain a reward from the Blessed Virgin2. Return in peace, retire and hand over the GUN to your son or

disciple3. Dying heroically, the GUN is consigned to a new Gunslinger4. Abandon Cydonia to its destiny, follow your own purpose5. Die and the GUN is definitively Lost or Destroyed6. The Gunslinger and that GUN vanish from all the stories

Inspirations Knights of Cydonia (the Videoclip)* by Muse 21 Guns by Green Day The Dark Tower saga by Stephen King The Arthurian Sagas The Spaghetti Westerns Psirun* by Meguey Baker, Chris Moore & Michael Lingner Ghost/Echo by John Harper Apocalypse World* by D. Vincent Baker 3:16 by Gregor Hutton Olympus, boardgame by Andrea Chiarvesio & Luca Iennaco

Game Design, Concept, Writing & Layout: Iacopo FrigerioArts: Darekkourek, Mr Harp, dasAdam (on Deviant Art) *= A strong knowledge of these sources is essential to a good play!

The World is Going On...

Once upon a time a great Kingdom reigned over the world, enlightening and protecting the peoples. The High King, Arthur David was seated on the throne and 100 great Knights attended him with honor. The Knights of the Kingdom sheltered the Hinges of the Universe, mystical forces that Ordered the World, but they made the mistake of substituting the magic of the Hinges with technology...The Blood King, Mordred, fostered nuclear, chemical and germ wars, diverted attention from technology, and the Hinges, without the necessary care, started malfunctioning and became rotten. The Order broke up, and now not even the sun shining is sure. This happened in a time that is only few years far to some, a month of Sundays to others.But Cydonia, last shred of the past Kingdom, has not given up the resistance yet. The Blessed Virgin legitimately sits on the throne of her fathers and the last 21 Knights still lean on their knees in her presence, laying weapons down with deference.The Blessed Swords were reforged according to the habit of the Old Technology: they became the GUNS, 7 shot revolvers able to shoot spiritual energy for the legitimate owner. The Knights took the name of Gunslingers.

Today the world is similar to the old western movies, scarcely populated and dangerous, full of mutants both human and animal, with large contaminated lands and grotesque ruins of proud ancient cities. Demons, robots and men are serving the Blood King and his sorcerer, the Man-in-black. There is no level of aggregation that exceeds a town perimeter. The resources are poor; and the Ancients' Technology is usually found in wicked, perverted or damaged forms that jeopardize the last survivors.Sometimes the magic shows up, arcane and hardly mastered, releasing all its devastating power.Some of the 21 gather in Fellowship to seek the Quests, hoping to restore the ancient Kingdom. But the Gunslingers hang always in the balance, pushed by centrifugal individualistic force and seduced by forbidden loves, personal glories or even the temptation of treason.

Sean Jensen (order #6987614)

The BoardThe Order to place the Shots is defined by the Convention: it is the story that makes clear who has the first intent toward a specific Effect.

The Gunslingers in the story may act in certain ways that make the GM decide who enjoys the privilege of Faith, for example. Therefore the privilege of Effect goes to that PC; the GM has the duty to say, before the placing starts, who enjoys the privilege of the Convention in the various Effects.

Elements

FaithThe Faith in the Virgin provides the PC perseverance to carry on the Quest.

The GM has to declare in advance if there is a risk of Corruption. In any case, if a player places a Shot, it is triggered automatically.

You Show Faith in the VirginTake:

- +1 Shots (next)- +1 Quest

You do the right thingChoose 1:

- +2 Shots (next)- +1 Quest

You surrender to your own interest

Take:+1 Corruption, if it is

established

DamageThe GM has to declare if there is risk of Damage to PCs.

Note: the NPCs have Health 2: Injured/Dead.

Choose 2:- Inflict Damage (1)- Avoid Damage to you- Humiliate/Disarm- Knocked out (Only for NPCs)

Choose 1:- Inflict Damage (1)- Avoid Damage to you

Note: customarily it is Inflict 1 level of Damage.

Avoid means: all the Damage.

Show your own Noble BreedAll the PC belong to a noble house which has survived in the Kingdom.

Awe: if you don't move against them, NPCs on scene can't act against you until the next Conflict.

You Reveal yourself as Gunslinger, you decide what

they know about you, Choose 1:- +1 Shot (next)if applicable, you impress them- Awe

Choose 1:- Don't reveal yourself, stay concealed- Reveal your self and decide what they know about you

GM decides if you are recognized and what is known about you. That is trouble for

you!

Read a Person- Is your PC/NPC telling the truth?- What's your PC/NPC really feeling?- What does your PC/NPC intend to do?- What does your PC/NPC wish I had to do?- How could I get your PC/NPC to ______?

Take 3+1:3: choose 3 questions from the list to ask a player or the GM.+1 Shot (next) if applicable

Take 1:1: choose 1 question from the list to ask a player or the GM

Note: you can Read a Person only when it is possible to observe her or talk to her,

even for a short time.

Ancients' TechnologyNote: The GM is allowed to say it isn't reparable.

- Who handled this last before me?- Who made this?- For what purpose was this made?- What has been done with this or to this?- What's wrong with this and how might I fix it?- What strong emotion had felt from who had used this recently?

Take 3+1:3: choose 3 answers from the list to ask the GM.

Choose +1:- I Switch it Off forever- I Use it, +1 Shot (next) if applicable (if it isn't Fixed, +1 Corruption)- I Fix it (if you don't know how, +1 Corruption)

Take 1:1: choose 1 question from the list to ask the GM

Note: The first time a Gunslinger finds a piece of Technology, it is always on (or in standby) and malfunctioning (because it is

perverted)If the Technology is present in a scene and no one Fixes

it, the GM must decide if that causes +1 Corruption.

Purpose or Act Under PressureIf there is any Specific Purpose, different from other Elements, the

player has to declare it before the Conflict.As well, the GM has to declare if anyone Acts Under Pressure.

You Gain the Purpose.If Hindered, Choose 1:

- You Gain it, but who Hindered you has to narrate the outcome and you take +1 Corruption- Follow the Effect

Choose 1:- You flinch, hesitate or stall,the GM can offer a worse outcome, a hard bargain or a ugly choice- You Hinder who gains the Effect

GM Chooses 1:- He Fails and Loses something, ask his Player what he loses- He Gains the Purpose with a Corrupted Act, +1 Corruption

Seduce/ManipulateLoyalty: the NPCs can't act against you if you don't move against them. If a 'Loyal' PC moves against you, you have +1 Shot to use in the next Conflict against him.

Take 3, 1 by 1, 'they spend' (you choose when):- He gives you what you want, you have to give him something else- He does what you want him to do; you have to give him something else- He becomes Loyal to you

Or 'you spend':- You Avoid 1 'Seduce Take' from others- You don't have to give anything (for 1 Take)

Take 1:'they spend'

or 'you spend'from the list

(you choose when they spend)

Note: A PC can place at most 4 Shots; any Shot can be

keep away. The unused Shots must be deleted.

Come ride with me through the veils of history, I'll show you how God falls asleep on the job,

How can we win when fools can be kings? Don't waste your time or time will waste you

No-one's gonna take me alive The time has come to make things right

You and I must fight for our rights You and I must fight to survive

Old Gunslingers' Ballad (cit. Muse)

Gunslinger Sheet

Name: _________________

Appearance:

My Noble Quality is:

_______________________ Cross off a Use mark to earn an Effect even if you can't.

It works only if you describe how the Quality helps and you place a Shot in the Effect. The Quality Effect is always prior to the Bruised Effect.

Health:You can't heal yourself. You don't heal waiting out the time. Healing is a Purpose

Bruised You always gain Effect, even if you have Injured You no longer have the right to a Free ShotDefeated You are at the mercy of GM, he chooses

your fate

GUN:_________________________________

Cross off a Use mark, you Inflict two levels of Damage (for NPC = Death)

Cross off a Use mark, you Gain +1 Shot (Max 1 per Conflict)Spend 1 Quest to reload the GUN and to take up the fight again

Quest ->-------------------------------