The supernatural world exists in the shadows, hidden from public view by those who would exploit it, study it, or destroy it. Your group must maintain secrecy about the supernatural phenomena you encounter and your involvement in confronting these threats.
Exposure represents how much attention your group has drawn from law enforcement, media, federal agencies, and most dangerously—the Overwatch Foundation. Exposure is tracked as a group, ranging from 0 to 10. As Exposure increases, different organizations begin investigating, hunting, or attempting to contain you. Small slip-ups accumulate over time until eventually, the wrong people notice.
Your current Exposure determines how much scrutiny your group faces and from whom.
None. You can move freely and operate without scrutiny.
Local police may have minor reports, but nothing is connected.
Local law enforcement has case files. Local media looking for angles. Paranormal enthusiasts posting theories online.
FBI/ATF building case files. Investigative journalists. Amateur paranormal investigators. Overwatch Foundation monitoring from a distance.
Federal agents with warrants issued. Media knows your names and faces. Overwatch Foundation has active files on your group and may begin containment operations.
Everyone. FBI, state police, local law enforcement, news helicopters, bounty hunters, and worst of all—the Foundation.
Reducing Exposure from 10 requires extreme measures: faking deaths, fleeing the region entirely, major distractions, or leveraging serious blackmail and bargaining chips.
Exposure increases based on your actions and how you handle supernatural incidents. The GM determines how much Exposure each situation generates based on severity and visibility.
| Situation | Exposure Gain |
|---|---|
| Witnesses see strange events but you're not identified | +0 |
| Security camera footage shows you at incident site | +1 |
| Civilian casualties or major property damage | +1 |
| Police encounter you fleeing a scene | +1 |
| Using supernatural powers in public view | +1-2 |
| News media coverage of incident | +1 |
| Leaving bodies or evidence behind | +1 |
| Federal database hit (fingerprints, facial recognition) | +2 |
| Captured on live television | +2 |
| Confrontation with law enforcement | +2 |
| Overwatch Foundation assets compromised | +2-3 |
| Public use of reality-defying powers | +3 |
The narrative determines WHO is hunting you based on HOW you gained Exposure:
Multiple types of organizations may be hunting you simultaneously if your Exposure comes from varied sources.
Unlike Sanity, Exposure doesn't naturally decrease with time. Once people know your face, name, or vehicle, that information doesn't just disappear. Reducing Exposure requires active effort through specific Endeavours during downtime:
Individual Endeavour:
Group Endeavours:
Once Exposure reaches 7 or higher, your group is under intense scrutiny. At least one character must use the Cover Tracks Endeavour each downtime period, or Exposure automatically increases by 1 as investigations close in and evidence accumulates.
At Exposure 10, normal Endeavours cannot be taken. The group must use Go to Ground to attempt escape.
Once the Foundation takes notice of your group (typically at Exposure 5+), they rarely forget. Even if you reduce Exposure through other means, they may still have you flagged in their systems.
Exposure is tied to your current area of operation. Fleeing to a completely different region may temporarily reduce effective Exposure, but federal and Foundation attention follows you.
Certain major narrative events (creating massive distractions, staging convincing deaths, obtaining leverage over powerful figures) may significantly reduce Exposure at the GM's discretion.
Consider these tactics to avoid drawing unwanted attention:
Remember: Every action has consequences. The more visible you are, the harder it becomes to operate freely.