Do one thing every day that scares you - Fear in Beyond the Veil

Very early in the design of Beyond the Veil we decided that fear shouldn’t just be for flavour. It should be a fundamental mechanic that shapes the way an Investigator reacts to the unknown. Whether an otherworldly encounter or simply the slow erosion of confidence due to uncertainty, fear builds over time throughout every investigation.

To measure the effects of rising anxiety we utilise Fear Points. Every Investigator starts an investigation calm and clear-headed. But as strange events unfold and tension rises, so too does the tally on their Fear track. These points measure not just fright, but stress, doubt, and the creeping realisation that they’re way out of their depth.

The more Fear you accumulate, the more it affects your Investigator’s behaviour. Maybe they become skittish, or maybe they lean into it and get their adrenaline surging, senses heightened. The effects of Fear are not always bad, caution has kept humanity alive for millennia and we were keen to reflect the life preserving nature of rising anxiety. But eventually, if Fear continues to mount, it pushes past their Fear Threshold and their personal limit. When that happens, they risk reduced control of their actions, entering a state known as Fight or Flight.

In Fight or Flight, an Investigator’s actions become unpredictable. One moment they’re lashing out at shadows, the next they’re running blindly into the dark. Each turn becomes a toss of the coin between keeping it together and coming undone. With the help of friends, or simply steeling their will against the darkness an Investigator can still recover and continue with the task at hand, albeit warier and likely in need of a break!

This system isn’t about punishing players, however, it’s about storytelling. Fear reveals character. The brave might grit their teeth and press on. The cautious may falter, and the sceptic might be forced to reconsider their beliefs. Every moment of tension becomes an opportunity for growth and unforgettable scenes. Some of the most poignant moments we’ve encountered during play testing is when a player volunteers their Investigator’s phobia as a response to a situation, happily taking the increase in Fear for the narrative potential it brings.

What’s more, Beyond the Veil doesn’t treat Fear as a single measure of an Investigator’s state of mind. Instead we wanted to encapsulate the range of emotions that can occur during stressful situations. Investigators become Spooked, then Shaken, then Panicked, and eventually Terrified with each stage carrying distinct consequences, both mechanical and narrative. You’ll never forget the first time your hard-nosed detective screamed and bolted because something whispered their name in an empty room. Taking a break can help to manage the rising Fear but the effects linger, merely becoming dormant until the afflicted enters the appropriate state of mind once more. Should things get really bad, and Fear rises beyond the cap of 100 Fear Points, an Investigator can start taking actual harm. In Beyond the Veil, fear can kill.

We wanted Fear to be the narrative fuel that powers the game, managing it brings a sense of urgency that forces action in the face of uncertainty. It builds tension at the table and encourages team work through adversity. Players’ choices begin to matter... Do they open that door? Do they enter the reeking cave in the woods alone? Do they turn and face whatever just made that noise behind them?

In this game, fear is not just a feeling.

It’s a mechanic.

It’s a threat.

And it might just be the only thing that saves you.