I know there’s now a community effort to preserve CC from Livejournal but I had already started grabbing FadeToBlack’s content so I’ve uploaded it on SFS. anything they also posted on GoS is there too, just to be safe. pictures are available in a subfolder (hopefully labeled clearly enough) since most of their file names aren’t descriptive.

btw I sent an ask last night about the LJ situation but tumblr may have eaten it, it took me multiple tries to send because I attempted a link for context. it seems everyone’s aware now though so disregard it.

Hello @dark-side-laegrinna! Thank you so much<3 I did not get your ask! thank you for taking the time to send it, even though it did not come through. stupid tumblr >:-(

We're pulling back the curtain on the second volume, and trust us—the shadows in Chicago are getting way longer. Chapter 2 is officially drafted, and it gives the Host (and the Lead Characters) the full blueprint of the city's corruption.

Chapter 1: Where the Dark Begins (A Quick Recap)

If you're already in the trenches, you know Fade to Black is about the cost of living in a world built on lies. Chapter 1 established the Rule of Cost—that every victory, every piece of truth you uncover, comes with a price.

But Book 2 answers the question: Why is the city so rotten?

Chapter 2: The City's Original Sin

It all comes back to The Great Closure. Ten years ago, the city's massive central power source—the Conduit—died for five minutes. That Silence didn't just kill the power; it killed the people's faith.

This singular trauma carved three deep scars into the city's soul:

The Futility of Scale: No one trusts big promises anymore. The bigger the project (or the politician), the harder it falls.

The Price of Light: Electricity, water, and heat are fetishized. The rich Loop is a fortress of light; everywhere else is perpetual, expensive shadow. Light equals safety, and you have to bleed to buy it.

The Debt is Eternal: The loans taken out to build the Conduit never went away. This debt is the legal foundation for all of the city's Systemic Corruption.

The Corrupt Triumvirate: Head, Hand, and Fist

We've finalized the three factions that truly run Chicago. They hate each other, but they rely on each other to keep the debt flowing. Every Case you take will inevitably hit one of these pillars:

A. The Engineers (The Head): The clinical corruption. They control the Junction Boxes, the bank loans, the patents, and the infrastructure. They don't send muscle; they just adjust the ledgers or cut the power until you comply. They live in the terrifyingly sterile Loop.

B. The Alderman's Coil (The Hand): The legal facade. The city council, the corrupt courts, and the top brass of the City Watch. They bury the truth in red tape, use ghost votes to pass laws for the Engineers, and give the Iron Faction plausible deniability. They wield the law like a blunt weapon.

C. The Iron Faction (The Fist): The organized muscle. Born from the disenfranchised Dockers, they control the black market, illegal labor, and extortion in The Docks. They are the necessary violence arm, ensuring the Engineers' debts are paid through intimidation and force.

The whole city is a desperate compromise between these three. Where will your Lead Character break the chain?

What's Next? (Chapter 3 Preview)

Now that the stage is set, Chapter 3 is all about YOU. We are drafting new Archetypes, unique Maneuvers, and the next batch of debilitating Flaws to ensure your Lead Characters can survive (or fail spectacularly) in this newly defined world.

The city never sleeps, and neither do we... ☕️ The "Fade to Black" journey has been incredible, watching you all bring the dark alleys and smoky backrooms of our 1940s Chicago to life. Your stories, your tough choices, your characters – they've been the heart of it all. ❤️‍🔥

As the streetlights flicker and we prepare to turn the page to the next chapter of development, refining mechanics and adding new layers to our noir world, your voice is more crucial than ever. We're on the hunt for insights, whispers from the shadows of your game sessions!

What's resonated most with you? What mysteries still linger? Are there any aspects you'd love to see deepen or change as we move forward? Your feedback is our compass in this beautiful, dangerous city. 👇

If you haven't yet, you can find the game and learn more about our world here: Fade to Black

The air hung heavy, thick with the scent of something metallic and ancient. Every creak of the rusted pipes above echoed in the oppressive silence, a silence that pressed in, threatening to consume. Eleanor's flashlight beam, a feeble defiance against the encroaching gloom, danced across peeling paint and shadows that seemed to writhe just beyond its reach. 🔦

She clutched the faded photograph tighter. 📸 The smile of the woman in the picture, once so vibrant, now felt like a ghost, mocking her from the sepia-toned paper. They had told Eleanor to forget, to move on, that some things were better left buried. But how do you forget the echoes of a laugh, the warmth of a hand, when the world around you screams that something is terribly, terribly wrong? 😨

A low hum vibrated through the concrete floor, rising, falling, like the breathing of some unseen, colossal beast. Eleanor's heart hammered against her ribs, a desperate drumbeat in the darkness. 💓 This place… it was alive, and it wanted something from her. Or perhaps, it wanted to take something away. 👻

She pushed deeper, each step a gamble against the unknown. Because even in the heart of this creeping dread, one truth remained: Eleanor had to find out what happened. She had to know why they faded to black. ⚫

Will you brave the shadows and uncover the truth alongside Eleanor? 🕵️‍♀️

"Fade to Black" is more than just a game; it's an experience. Prepare to unravel a chilling mystery, where every step you take could be your last, and the line between reality and nightmare blurs. 🌌

Tired of TTRPGs where every hero is flawless and every choice is obvious? Welcome to Fade to Black, the tabletop noir game where the streets of 1940s Chicago are as dangerous as your own personal demons.

This isn't about saving the world. It's about surviving your world.

✨ Why you need to play Fade to Black: ✨

Gritty, Narrative-First Gameplay: Forget endless rulebooks. Our system is lean, mean, and built to keep the story flowing like cheap whiskey on a rainy night.

Your Flaws Define You: Your character's weaknesses aren't just penalties; they're the hooks for incredible, compelling stories. Embrace the baggage!

The City is a Character: Chicago isn't just a backdrop. It breathes, it remembers, and it reacts to every desperate choice you make.

Every Dice Roll Matters: Our unique "Push" system lets you turn success into cinematic moments, while "Wounds" leave lasting scars, both physical and emotional.

Craft Your Own Noir Legend: Will you be the cynical private eye, the cunning con artist, or the brutal enforcer? Your Archetype is just the beginning.

Picture this...

The rain's coming down in sheets, blurring the neon signs of the Blue Note Club. Your informant, 'Slick' Eddie, promised you a lead on the O'Malley hit, but he's late. Real late. You've got a bad feeling.

Suddenly, a shadow detaches from the alley wall. Two goons, big as refrigerators, blocking your escape. "Eddie ain't talkin' to nobody," one snarls, reaching for something under his coat.

Your Reflex kicks in. You've got the Quick Draw Maneuver, so you grab your .38. The GM calls for a roll: your Reflex Attribute dice + your Maneuver die. You roll...

🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲

A 4, 5, 6! That '6' isn't just a success, it's a Push!

You don't just draw; you flick the safety off with a practiced thumb, the click barely audible over the rain. Your first shot takes the goon's hat clean off, sending it spinning into a puddle. The second shot... well, that's your Push. You don't just hit him, you hit him just so, sending him sprawling into his buddy, creating a perfect opening for you to slip away into the labyrinthine streets.

The city's always got another trick up its sleeve, but so do you. For now.

Ready to dive into a world of desperate intrigue, whispered secrets, and hard-boiled truths? Your story is waiting.

Hey, fellow denizens of the shadows! Your pals at MadLabGames have been burning the midnight oil, polishing the chrome and oiling the gears of Fade to Black, and we're stoked to share a massive update that plunges you even deeper into the unforgiving heart of 1940s Chicago!

This isn't just a quick fix; it's a significant overhaul designed to make your noir stories more cinematic, more personal, and absolutely drenched in atmosphere. We've been listening to your whispers from the dark alleys, and we've poured that feedback directly into the very soul of the game.

What's New in the City's Underbelly?

We've been hard at work refining the core experience and adding layers of gritty detail. Here's a rundown of what you'll find:

A Sharper, More Cinematic Core System: Our Dice Pool Success System is now even more intuitive and narrative-first. Every roll is a moment of truth, with clear successes and the thrilling "Push" option letting your Lead Character pull off something truly exceptional. Forget the crunch; this is pure noir drama.

Deeper Character Arcs: We've expanded Archetypes, fleshed out Maneuvers, and leaned heavily into Flaws – those crucial imperfections that make your LC human and compelling. Plus, our refined Personal Goals system makes it easier to define those driving ambitions!

The Host's Playbook Just Got Thicker: For our amazing Hosts (that's you, GMs!), we've significantly expanded the Host's Guide. It's your comprehensive toolkit for crafting intricate mysteries, bringing NPCs to life, mastering pacing, and ensuring every choice has brutal consequences.

Immersive Atmosphere: We've poured more flavor into Chicago itself! Dive into expanded sections on the Elixir of Night (classic era drinks), the Soundtrack of the City (how music sets the mood), and a wealth of Sensory Details to make you feel the rain, smell the smoke, and hear the distant sirens.

New Optional Mechanics Document: This dedicated resource introduces:

Notoriety: Your LC's reputation now has mechanical weight, affecting how the city reacts to their name.

The Grinding Interrogation: Turn tense social confrontations into psychological battles of will.

The Screaming Asphalt: Experience high-octane chases with a cinematic, structured system.

A Brand New Lead Character Sheet: Track your LC's journey with our new, thematic character sheet, designed to feel like a detective's crime board!

The Future Unfolds: What's Next for Fade to Black?

The work never stops in Chicago, and neither does our commitment to Fade to Black! We're already looking ahead:

Optional Mechanics Document Release: The detailed Notoriety, Interrogations, and Chases mechanics are polished and ready to be released as a standalone companion document.

Commissioning the Visuals: Get ready for stunning new artwork that will truly bring the dark, atmospheric world of Chicago to life!

Polishing the Presentation: We're bringing an editor on board to refine the formatting and streamline the prose, making Fade to Black as sharp as a freshly pressed suit.

Book 2: Expanding the Underbelly: We're looking into development on Book 2, which will introduce a wealth of new options for your Lead Characters: fresh Maneuvers, haunting Flaws, essential Gear, and compelling new Archetypes.

Book 3: The City's Secrets Revealed: Looking further ahead, Book 3 is planned as a Host's treasure trove, featuring pre-constructed encounters, challenging scenarios, and a rogues' gallery of detailed NPCs ready to drop into your campaigns.

Your Story Awaits.

For those of you who have been with us through the long nights and the countless revisions, thank you for sticking with us. Your passion and feedback have been the fuel for this project. And for those just stepping into the shadows, welcome. We're incredibly proud of how Fade to Black is shaping up, and we can't wait for you to experience these new layers of narrative and immersion.

Download the updated files, gather your crew, and step into the shadows of Chicago.

Greetings, brave souls and curious minds! The Head Mad Scientist here, bursting with unhinged glee! From the deepest, darkest corners of the Mad Lab, where the beakers bubble with cosmic dread and the gears grind out glorious innovation, we're calling all test subjects to witness our magnificent, monstrous creations!

You've heard whispers, perhaps felt a tremor in the fabric of reality... that's just us, bringing our wildest experiments to life! And now, you can get your hands on the very materials that make our mad science possible!

This entire glorious endeavor is mostly the work of one deranged genius, Vyktor Rykov, our lead Mad Scientist, and their stalwart co-conspirator, Ki the Ghoul (who keeps the specimens in line and the beakers bubbling, literally). With invaluable help from our close-knit community of fellow mad experimenters, we’re conjuring worlds into existence!

Ready to dive into the madness?

Fade to Black: Our debut TTRPG system plunges you into a noir-drenched world where every choice is a struggle for survival. The shadows are long, the streets are slick with rain, and sanity is a luxury few can afford. Will you make it out alive, or will you, too, fade to black?

The Witch: Our spellbinding creation, a well-received homebrew for D&D, lets you tap into arcane power with a unique twist! (We love tinkering with established systems, adding a dash of our own delightful chaos!)

And that's not all! We've got more lurking in the shadows, from supplements for your favorite systems like Mothership and Never Stop Blowing Up, to other terrifying and tantalizing projects!

Why Itch.io, you ask? It's our primary containment unit for the raw, untamed alpha materials and the blossoming horrors of our released games! It's where you can peer directly into the heart of our ongoing experiments, grab playtest kits, and even offer your valuable (and perhaps terrified) feedback to help us refine these magnificent beasts!

So, don't just stand there! The lightning is calling! Your sanity... well, that's debatable after a visit to our lab!

Click the link below and step into the Mad Lab!

madlabgames.itch.io