Downtime Endeavours System

Core Concept: Between hunts, each character has 2 weeks of downtime. Each week, you can undertake 1 Endeavour—a focused activity that takes approximately one week to complete. Some activities require both weeks (2 Endeavours), while others can be done in parallel.

Time Frame: 1 Endeavour = 1 week of dedicated effort (roughly 20-30 hours of focused work)

Flexibility: These are frameworks. Players can propose custom Endeavours, and GMs should adjust DCs based on circumstances, available resources, and creative approaches.

Quick Reference Table

Core Endeavours

Endeavour	Time	Cost	Check	Main Benefit
Rest & Recovery	1 week	Free	Wisdom save	Restore Sanity
Professional Therapy	2 weeks	$300-500	Wisdom save	Major Sanity recovery or manage effect
Day Job	1 week	-	Skill check	Earn $200-800
Craft Gear	1 week	½ item cost	Tool check	Create equipment
Research Lore	1 week	Free-$50	Investigation	Learn weakness/info
Acquire Equipment	1 week	Varies	Investigation	Find special items
Cover Tracks	1 week	$100-300	Deception/Stealth	Reduce Exposure
Training	1 week	Free	Varies	Temporary benefits

Rest & Recovery

You spend the week on normal, calming activities—family time, hobbies, exercise, meditation, or just being human again.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week
Cost: Free (basic activities) or $100-200 (vacation, entertainment)
Check: Wisdom saving throw
- DC = 10 + number of psychological effects you have
Success: Reduce Sanity Damage by 1d6
Failure: Reduce Sanity Damage by 1d4
Advantage: If you maintain connections with non-hunter NPCs (family, friends, romantic partners)
Help: Another PC can spend their Endeavour to grant you advantage

Grounding yourself in normal life helps process the supernatural horrors you've witnessed.

Professional Therapy

You attend intensive therapy sessions with a licensed mental health professional to process trauma and manage psychological effects.

Mechanics

Time: 2 weeks (both Endeavours)
Cost: $300-500
Requirement: Must have therapist as Contact or find one (DC 12 Investigation)

Choose One Option:

Option A: Reduce Sanity Damage

Check: Wisdom saving throw, DC = 12 + number of psychological effects you have
Success: Reduce Sanity Damage by 2d6
Failure: Reduce Sanity Damage by 1d6

Option B: Manage Existing Effect

Choose one psychological effect you currently have
Check: Wisdom saving throw, DC 15
Success: The negative aspects of that effect are reduced for the next mission (advantages become normal, disadvantages become normal, save DCs reduced by 2, etc.)
Failure: No benefit, but you can try again next downtime

Seeing the same therapist regularly may grant advantage as trust builds (GM discretion).

Warning: Revealing supernatural details may increase Exposure or require Deception checks. Be cautious about what you share.

Day Job

You work a normal job for a week—construction, retail, freelance, or using your professional skills.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week (40 hours)
Check: Choose an appropriate skill:
- STR (Athletics) - Manual labor: $200 base
- DEX (Sleight of Hand) - Skilled trades: $250 base
- INT (Any) - Professional work: $300 base
- WIS (Any) - Service industry: $200 base
- CHA (Performance/Persuasion) - Sales/Entertainment: $250 base
DC 10: Earn base amount
DC 15: Earn base × 1.5
DC 20: Earn base × 2
DC 25: Earn base × 3 (exceptional week)
Failure (under 10): Earn $100 (bad week)
Background Bonus: If job matches your background, gain advantage

Note: In 1993, these represent decent weekly wages for temporary work.

Craft Gear

You create equipment, weapons, ammunition, or other items yourself.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week per item (or batch of ammunition)
Cost: 50% of item's market price in materials
Check: Appropriate tool proficiency check:
- Smith's Tools: Melee weapons, metal armor
- Tinker's Tools: Firearms, complex devices
- Alchemist's Supplies: Explosives, chemicals
- Herbalism Kit: Poisons, antidotes
- Leatherworker's Tools: Light armor, holsters
DC: 10 + (item value ÷ 100), minimum DC 12
- Simple items (knife, 20 bullets): DC 12
- Moderate items (pistol, vest): DC 15
- Complex items (rifle, full armor): DC 18
- Exotic items (silver bullets, blessed weapons): DC 20+
Success: Create the item
Failure by 5+: Waste materials, must start over
Failure by less than 5: Can retry next week without new materials
Critical Success: Item has minor beneficial property (GM's choice)

Ammunition batch = 50 standard rounds or 20 special rounds.

Research Lore

You investigate a specific supernatural threat, phenomenon, or mystery through libraries, newspapers, or contacts.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week
Cost: $0-50 (library fees, photocopying, newspaper archives)
Check: Intelligence (Investigation) or (Arcana for magical topics)
Base DC: 13 for common creatures, 15 for uncommon, 18 for rare, 20+ for unique
Success: Learn one of the following:
- Creature's damage vulnerabilities/resistances
- Special abilities and how to counter them
- Behavioral patterns and hunting grounds
- Historical precedent for dealing with it
- Required items/rituals for permanent defeat
Failure: Incomplete/misleading information
Success by 5+: Learn two pieces of information
Success by 10+: Comprehensive knowledge + advantage on your first roll when you encounter this threat (attack, save, or check)

Having relevant books/contacts can grant advantage or lower the DC.

Acquire Equipment

You search for hard-to-find, illegal, or supernatural items through black markets, military surplus, or specialized dealers.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week
Check: Intelligence (Investigation) or Charisma (Persuasion)
DC by Item Rarity:
- Uncommon (suppressors, body armor): DC 12, costs 150% market price
- Rare (automatic weapons, explosives): DC 15, costs 200% market price
- Very Rare (military grade, blessed items): DC 18, costs 300% market price
- Legendary (supernatural artifacts): DC 20+, costs negotiable
Success: Find seller, can purchase if you have funds
Failure by 5+: Attract unwanted attention (+1 Exposure)
Success by 5+: Find good deal (reduce cost by 25%)
Contacts: Having relevant criminal/military contacts grants advantage

Some items may require additional favors or tasks rather than just money.

Cover Tracks

You work to reduce suspicion—creating alibis, destroying evidence, discrediting witnesses, or planting false information.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week
Cost: $100-300 (bribes, fake documents, clean-up)
Check: Charisma (Deception) or Dexterity (Stealth), DC 15
Success: Reduce group's Exposure by 1 (minimum 0)
Success by 5+: Reduce Exposure by 2
Failure: No change
Failure by 5+: Increase Exposure by 1 (botched cover-up)
High Exposure (7+): At least one party member MUST take this each downtime or Exposure auto-increases by 1

Can involve specific roleplay: forging documents, intimidating witnesses, hacking records (limited in 1993).

Training

You practice combat techniques, study your new abilities, or train your transformed body.

Mechanics

Choose one type of training:

Combat Training

Check: DC 13 Strength or Dexterity (Athletics or Acrobatics)
Success: Gain +1 to hit with one weapon type for next hunt
Success by 5+: Also gain +1 damage

Transformation Control (for transformed characters)

Check: DC 14 Charisma (Deception) or Wisdom (Insight)
Success: Learn to better hide your nature. Gain advantage on checks to appear human/normal for next hunt
Success by 5+: Also reduce any Exposure gained from being seen in public by 1 (minimum 1)
Note: Can include practicing disguises, mannerisms, or controlling visible features

Physical Conditioning

Check: DC 12 Constitution saving throw
Success: Gain +5 temporary hit points for next hunt
Success by 5+: Gain +10 temporary hit points

Mental Fortitude

Check: DC 13 Wisdom saving throw
Success: Gain advantage on next Sanity save
Success by 5+: Gain advantage on next two Sanity saves

Fate Training (Inspiration)

Check: DC 15 using any ability score that fits your training narrative
Success: Gain 1 Fate Point for the next hunt (can exceed normal maximum)
Success by 5+: Gain 2 Fate Points for the next hunt
Note: Fate Points work like Inspiration - spend to reroll any d20 roll

Benefits last for one hunt/mission only.

Secondary Endeavours

Cultivate Contact

You develop a relationship with someone useful—an informant, expert, or ally.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week
Cost: $50-200 (drinks, bribes, gifts)
Check: Charisma (Persuasion) DC 13, or (Deception) DC 15 if using false identity
Success: Gain a contact who can provide:
- Information (advantage on one Research roll per downtime)
- Equipment access (can attempt to acquire specific items)
- Safe house (temporary hideout if needed)
- Professional services (doctor, lawyer, mechanic)
Failure: Contact is unhelpful or untrustworthy
Maintaining: Costs $50 per downtime to maintain relationship

Investigate Mystery

You dig into personal mysteries—your transformation, your past, or the broader supernatural conspiracy.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week
Check: Intelligence (Investigation) DC 16
Success: GM provides one clue or revelation
Success by 5+: Significant discovery with immediate implications
Failure: Dead end, but can try different approach next time
Failure by 5+: False lead that seems true
Progress Track: Every 3 successes = major breakthrough

GM should prepare personal mystery threads for each character.

Lay Low

You do absolutely nothing supernatural—work quiet jobs, avoid contacts, stay off the grid.

Mechanics

Time: 1 week
Cost: Basic living expenses ($100)
Effect: Automatic -1 Exposure if you take NO other Endeavours this downtime
Double Down: If entire party Lays Low, -2 Exposure total
Income: Can work simple job for $150 (no check needed)

Sometimes doing nothing is the smartest move.

Group Endeavours

Safe House

The group establishes or improves a secure base of operations.

Mechanics

Establish (first time): Requires 3+ party members, $1000-2000 total
Basic Safe House provides:
- Secure storage for weapons/evidence
- Place to lay low (-1 Exposure when used)
- Workshop space (advantage on Craft checks)
Improvements (each requires group endeavour + $500):
- Armory: Store unlimited weapons safely
- Library: Advantage on Research Lore
- Medical Bay: Advantage on recovery checks
- Garage: Secure vehicle storage and repair
- Occult Defenses: Protection against supernatural tracking

Group Investigation

The party combines resources to research a major threat or conspiracy.

Mechanics

Requirement: 3+ party members
Check: Each member rolls Intelligence (Investigation) DC 13
Total Successes:
- 1-2: Basic information
- 3-4: Detailed intelligence + one weakness
- 5-6: Comprehensive dossier + multiple weaknesses
- 7+: Complete understanding + advantage on all related rolls next hunt
Critical Successes: Count as two successes
Critical Failures: Attract attention (+1 Exposure)

Custom Endeavours

Players can propose activities not listed here. Use these guidelines:

Scope: What can reasonably be accomplished in one week?
Cost: Materials, bribes, or fees required?
Check: What skill best represents this activity?
DC: Easy (10), Moderate (13), Hard (15), Very Hard (18), Nearly Impossible (20)
Success: Clear mechanical or narrative benefit
Failure: Setback but not catastrophic (unless rolling very poorly)

Examples: Stake out a location, infiltrate an organization, destroy evidence, protect an NPC, sabotage an enemy operation, study an artifact, undergo medical treatment, etc.

Quick GM Reference

Standard DCs

Trivial (DC 5): Almost guaranteed success
Easy (DC 10): Most characters succeed
Moderate (DC 13): Trained characters usually succeed
Hard (DC 15): Challenging even for trained characters
Very Hard (DC 18): Only experts regularly succeed
Nearly Impossible (DC 20+): Legendary difficulty

Circumstance Modifiers

Advantage: Good resources, contacts help, ideal conditions
Disadvantage: Poor resources, time pressure, hostile environment
-2 to DC: Exceptional resources or circumstances
+2 to DC: Significant obstacles or complications

Weekly Earnings Reference (1993)

Minimum wage job: ~$170/week
Skilled labor: ~$300-400/week
Professional: ~$500-800/week
Under the table: 75% of normal
Hazard pay: 150% of normal