Memories of Akkad 1: Before We Rise

 "Yeah, well... you all know why we're in this dark, damp hole tonight, far from ears and eyes. In a moment, we'll be planning our next Operation, but first, we have something to do.

We have goodbyes to say, to our brother-in-arms, Chaplain Owl. Heck, I'll never know how he picked that codename, but it was a fine codename, the kind that will continue to puzzle the Shadow Office for a while. Chap' was, I don't know, maybe 20? Clearly, ten years ago, when the walls of Akkad fell, he was just a kid. Some of us were fighting in the streets, or in the catacombs, or on biplanes, or in the Dreaming. All of us had our freedom stolen, and our future, especially the kids.

I'd like to say that we never gave up, that we've been fighting for these kids all along, but that would be a lie, wouldn't it? I know that some of us, many of us, gave up, because we were afraid of the Restoration, of the Shadow Office, or just plain broken, because without a Republic to fight for, why fight, am I right? But Chap', he never gave up. He was the one fighting for us, and for the kids, and for everyone. Even after his family found his gun and threatened to rat him out. I know I'm the one who brought him into our little Cell, but he was a Resistance Fighter before we met. He was the one who figured out what had happened in the Silver Butterfly Cabaret, and what the Divider was up to, well, at least that day. We failed to sabotage the project, but we did save a few people before they rang the bells.

Chap's been on seven, no, eight Operations with me. And yesterday, on the docks where the Chessmistress Gang had tracked us down, when we were pinned down and ready to say our last prayers, he didn't hesitate to run decoy, and save our lives. We got away while he was riddled with bullets by those bastards. Yeah, he saved us, and more importantly, he saved the formula we'd secured, and that gives us a chance for us to find out more, and perhaps find a way to use it.

I hope you leave a pretty ghost, Chap', 'cause we'll certainly remember you.

Also, tonight, we'll welcome Needlehay as our new sister-in-arms. You have pretty big shoes to fill, Need'. And yeah, if you had any doubts, you've picked the wrong career if you want to live long. But you've picked the right one if what you're after is putting the hurt on the Divider, for all they've done to us.

Right, enough pleasantries. We have an Operation to plan."

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Memories of Akkad is a unique narrative role-playing game about loss, resistance and sacrifice set in fantasy roaring 1920s. While you can play with dice, Memories of Akkad was designed to use the companion Deck of Memories, a set of 90 cards for both the GM and Players for co-designing the setting, advancing the story and co-determining the consequences of actions.

Book 1 covers co-designing the setting, the characters, their relationships, their enemies, and introduces the core of the rules.

Memories of Akkad is a game of uneasy alliances, uneasy choices, and fighting back against the Divider, even if it’s too late to make a difference, because dying on your feet is better than watching the regime destroy all that you’ve ever held dear.

Welcome to the Resistance.

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AI Disclaimer We are unfunded hobby designers/GMs. This edition of the rulebook relies on a handful of AI generated illustrations. The rules and setting were designed by human beings.

License This work is published as Creative Commons BY-SA. This gives you the right to copy and modify it, with a few restrictions.