Noctopolis: An Apocalypse Keys Mystery

OMEN-CLASS MONSTERS, the disappearance and subsequent impersonation of multiple monsters within Noctopolis indicates a HARBINGER-CLASS MONSTER may be undermining local defenses. Go undercover as superheroes of Project Paragon to find the culprit, maintain Noctopolis’ positive human-monster relations, and prevent the Harbinger from ushering in an Apocalypse.

Noctopolis is a superhero horror Apocalypse Keys Mystery module (Complexity 8) in which players investigate a rash of superheroes being abducted and replaced with doppelgangers. It explores questions of identity, of what it means to be a superhero, and of how that intersects with societal power structures. 

Featuring suitably colorful illustrations by Tanlynn Morgan (gremlinfrogart), this module includes:

• Noctopolis, a city whose Gothic architecture is shrouded in perpetual night
  • Situated at the remediated epicenter of multiple supernatural calamities
  • Crises are frequent, but the magitech industry is booming
• Project Paragon, an experimental program of registered superheroes
  • This has resulted in better public safety and higher acceptance of monsters + supernatural entities
  • But the benefits are distributed unequally...
• Overlapping supernatural powder kegs
  • The remnants of a demonic incursion
  • The lingering effects of a breach of the Veil between the living and the dead 
    
  • A DIVISION vault storing 3 known Doors of Power
  • Strong ambient energies that spontaneously imbue objects with supernatural attributes
  • MALICE, a loose coalition of supervillians
  • Improper lab safety

Chew the scenery as you go undercover as brightly-costumed superheroes and race to untangle the Harbinger's plot from the background noise of constant crises, all while not knowing who you can trust!

Content warnings: abduction, body horror, memory loss / manipulation, discrimination against marginalized communities (realistic + fictional), false identities / identity impersonation, incarceration / prison industrial complex, nonconsensual experimentation, paranoia, police violence / corruption, possession /  cohabitation of a body, vigilantism

Note: This download includes two versions of the PDF (one as pages and one as spreads) in addition to a plain text file.

What Is Apocalypse Keys?

Apocalypse Keys is a Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) horror-superhero game about Omen-class monsters, or Omens for short. Omens work with DIVISION to fight against would-be Harbingers of the Apocalypse, but if Omens don't keep their inner darkness in check, they will transform into Harbingers themselves.

Gameplay revolves around investigating the machinations of Harbingers of the Apocalypse, and these story arcs are called Mysteries. To complete a Mystery, the Omens must gather clues in the form of Keys, but the Doomsday Clock is ticking down. At zero, the Harbinger kickstarts the apocalypse. 

The Omens get to decide when they have enough clues, declare what they think the solution is, and roll in accordance with the move Unlock Doom's Door to determine whether their theory is correct.

Yes, really: unless the players roll a failure at a critical juncture, the solution to the Mystery is player-created. Therefore, premade Mysteries are open-ended. This makes it easier to weave in the experiences and backstories of participating player characters, and also keeps groups from getting stuck because they missed a crucial clue, encouraging interest-driven exploration.

For more info on the system, check out the seven-part blog series I wrote about character creation, using examples such as Batman, Anya Forger, and Kirby.

Running Noctopolis

Noctopolis is a complexity 8 Mystery module for Apocalypse Keys, and therefore will take 4+ sessions to complete. The approximately 11,000-word document includes: 

• Mission briefing
• Background info and instructions for introducing the Omens to the scenario
  • Description
  • The Victims
  • Beginning the Mystery
  • Contact: Chiropter
  • Background + Beginning the Mystery Cheat Sheet
• Custom Move: By Our Powers Combined!

• Custom Keeper Moves: Simultaneous Emergencies, Court of Public Opinion
• 8 Characters of Interest
• 8 Locations of Interest
• 3 Factions
• 25 Keys, 5 Facets, and a 8-part Doomsday Clock
• 7 Threat Playboks
• Supplemental Prompts

The Supplemental Prompts section includes additional prompts, descriptions, and information for Keepers who are new to the improv-heavy playstyle of Apocalypse Keys, or who simply prefer more structure than is provided by Apocalypse Keys module convention. 

Credits

Writing and layout: Julia LaFond

Art: Tanlynn Morgan (gremlinfrogart)

Supplemented by three pieces of spot art from Alderdoodle’s Swordtember 2025 series (“Concealed”, “Reliquary”, and “Clock”)

Sensitivity readers: Helen Gould, Monroe Wells-Soto

This project is supported by United Arts Wake County and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Legal Info

Noctopolis • ©2025 Julia LaFond

With proper attribution, you may share and adapt the text of this work according to a CC BY SA 4.0 sharealike license. The text of this work is additionally offered under a license having the terms of CC BY SA 4.0, except: (1) if the Adapted Material is a literary work (such as an RPG book), then the Adapter’s License need only be applied to the text (not, for instance, illustrations) and (2) you must include this and the following sentence in your licensing terms. The CC BY SA 4.0 license is available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.

Only the text is covered by this Adapter’s Licence. The copyright to the art is held by Tanlynn Morgan, with the exception of three pieces of spot art from Alderdoodle’s Swordtember 2025 series (“Concealed”, “Reliquary”, and “Clock”). The Calenmir’s RPGs logo artwork is copyrighted by Zachary Schwartz, and Evil Hat Productions and the Evil Hat logo are trademarks owned by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. Sword Queen Games is a trademark owned by Rae Nedjadi. Similarly, this does not constitute permission to publish under the brand name Calenmir’s RPGs.

Powered by Apocalypse Keys

Accessibility

Content warnings: abduction, body horror, memory loss / manipulation, discrimination against marginalized communities (realistic + fictional), false identities / identity impersonation, incarceration / prison industrial complex, nonconsensual experimentation, paranoia, police violence / corruption, possession /  cohabitation of a body, vigilantism

A plain text file is available with download, and the PDF includes alt text.

Image descriptions

Descriptions of the included screenshots that were too long to fit in the captions.

Cover 

A newspaper-style layout in which the central image is a group photo on a city street corner. On the left someone wearing a long, black, hooded cloak and red mask. To the right is a Black woman in sleek purple and gray powered armor who is giving this person bunny ears. She is being supported by floating water, which appears to be controlled by the person clinging to the side of a window above her: a stone-gray-skinned person with a tail and claws who has shoulder-length black hair and is wearing a red sweater with yellow chevrons over blue pants. In the center of the group is a muscular woman with light tan skin who is wearing hoplite-style armor and holding aloft a translucent glowy-gold spear that matches her round shield. Next in line is a fat, muscular man in a dark blue hoodie and gray camo pants and a black N95, plus face paint. He is clutching his forehead with his right hand. Holding on to his left arm is a person with pink skin and pink hair peeking out from beneath their blue onesie, which also has a beak, feathers, and space for their horns. In front of them is a St. Bernard dog who appears to be smiling and waving at the camera. A sign on a lamppost in the background says "Please no pictures with giant monsters".

Note: on the Itch preview, the St. Bernard is not visible.

Screenshot of By Our Powers Combined!

The members of the Paragon Program value teamwork, particularly for the sake of the common good. When one or more Omens protect someone as part of a team of superheroes, including when at least one of them has activated moves such as Unleash the Dark or Power Through Darkness, each participating hero describes how they use their powers to help each other. Every member of the team-up, including any NPCs, may choose one of the following:

• Select another participant. They gain a Bond with you.
• Gain a Bond with another participant.
• Erase 1 Ruin.
• Gain 1 Condition. All other participants clear 1 Condition.

If all participants decline to choose from the list, whoever is being protected will make it out of the situation safely, regardless of plausibility or the laws of physics.

Screenshot of Condor

Condor (they/them)

Condor is a tall, vulture-headed chimera with a California accent. Due to being the most senior custodian of Paragon Project HQ, they aren’t easily phased. Their position gives them access to all but the most sensitive areas of the building, and they frequently interact with registered superheroes.

Illustration: Condor, a vulture-headed individual with black wings and feathers. They are wearing blue scrubs and yellow gloves, have an ID badge clipped to their pocket, and are holding a wooden broom handle.

Screenshot of Light Skirmisher

Light Skirmisher

Prior to being abducted and impersonated, this hero was known for being a loose cannon.

llustration: Light Skirmisher has light tan skin with olive undertones and short dark hair beneath a hoplite-style helmet. Her hoplite-style armor is mostly bronze and brown, with red and yellow accents (including red fingerless gloves with yellow accents). She is also holding a translucent blue spear and round shield.

Please reach out to Calenmir@CalenmirsRPGs.com for additional information, or if you require accommodations.