The rain fell like bullets on the pavement, and the dimly lit alleyway was drenched in a thick mist. The neon lights of the city flickered in the distance, illuminating the outline of skyscrapers and casting shadows on the desolate streets. I stood at the entrance of the alley, my fedora pulled low over my eyes, my trench coat soaking wet. It was a typical night in the city, the kind of night that made you feel like anything could happen – and usually did.
Noir originated in the 1940s and 1950s, characterized by a dark, gritty tone and a focus on crime, corruption, and moral ambiguity. Typically set in urban environments, noir stories feature hard-boiled detectives, femme fatales, and shadowy figures lurking in the shadows.
The themes and motifs of noir are perfect for modern roleplaying because they allow player characters to explore complex moral and ethical dilemmas, navigate dangerous and unpredictable situations, and create rich and vivid characters with dark and troubled pasts. The gritty and atmospheric setting of a noir world also provides a rich backdrop for intense action and high-stakes drama, making it ideal for player characters who crave a more immersive and challenging gaming experience. Whether you're a seasoned player or a newcomer to the world of roleplaying, noir is a genre that offers endless opportunities for creativity, intrigue, and excitement.
This book includes:
- Worldbuilding: How to utilize and develop the setting elements you’ll need to successfully run DoubleZero: Noir, including the genre, setting, theme, and tone.
- Factions: The central organizations for DoubleZero: Noir, including their purpose, how they’re organized, the resources at their disposal, and key supporting characters.
- Characters: Information on the types of player characters, antagonists, and supporting characters most appropriate for DoubleZero: Noir.
- Adventures: Elements you’ll to run DoubleZero: Noir adventures. This chapter covers the premise, goals, obstacles, and stakes, and includes a selection of plot hooks to get you started.
A copy of DoubleZero: Modern Roleplaying is needed to play.
Why a Toolkit?
Roleplaying is a creative and collaborative activity. A large portion of the joy it brings is from making up the things that add to the experience. The reason DoubleZero: Noir is a toolkit and not a highly developed setting with tons of worldbuilding details is so there’s room left for your imagination. While it can be cool to read setting guides that cover everything down to the last detail, in play it can box you in and make you feel that your own ideas don’t fit or aren’t valid. The goal here is to give you as much as you need to get started, then step aside and let you turn this into whatever you and the other player characters want it to be.
Content Warnings
Here is a list of potential content warnings that might come up while using noir in a modern roleplaying scenario:
- Abuse: Characters may experience emotional, physical, or sexual abuse from supporting characters.
- Criminal Activity: Characters may engage in or witness illegal activities, such as theft, extortion, or murder.
- Gore: The setting may involve graphic depictions of bodily fluids, mutilation, or dismemberment.
- Language: The setting may include strong language, racial slurs, or offensive terminology.
- Racism: The setting may involve systemic racism, discrimination, or hate crimes.
- Sexual Content: Players may encounter scenes of sexual violence, prostitution, or explicit sexual encounters.
- Substance Abuse: Characters may use drugs or alcohol as coping mechanisms, which could lead to addiction or overdose.
- Suicide: Characters may contemplate or attempt suicide due to extreme stress, trauma, or depression.
- Trauma: The setting may involve characters with PTSD or other mental health disorders, which may be triggered by certain events or situations in the setting.
- Violence: The setting may include graphic descriptions of physical harm, torture, and death.
It's important to consider the comfort level and boundaries of all player characters when planning a roleplaying series, and to provide content warnings for any potentially disturbing material.
The DoubleZero System is a tabletop roleplaying toolkit. First designed for action, espionage, and thriller adventures, the skill-driven tabletop roleplaying system is perfect for mysteries, police procedurals, and crime dramas based on your favorite television series, movies, and novels. DoubleZero works with any “realistic” modern setting that doesn’t lean into magic, the supernatural, or superpowers.
Lightspress Media is a tabletop roleplaying company with a lo-fi approach. The utility of content takes precedence over ostentatious production value. Graphic elements should enhance the message of the text, not act as page filler and eye candy. Physical books need to be compact, portable, and sturdy. This minimalist aesthetic results in powerful toolkits that are both useful and affordable. After all, tabletop roleplaying isn’t the book. It’s the creativity and collaboration that takes place around the tabletop.
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