Unlocking the Secrets of The Between: A Victorian Horror TTRPG

What Is The Between?

The Between is a dark, cinematic tabletop role-playing game that plunges players into a fog-shrouded version of Victorian London. Designed by Jason Cordova and published by The Gauntlet, the game blends gothic horror, investigative drama, and high-stakes action. If you are searching for a story-forward RPG that captures the tension of Penny Dreadfuls and Sherlock Holmes while letting you hunt monsters, The Between delivers in spades.

Unlike traditional dungeon crawls, The Between focuses on episodic mysteries called "threats". Each threat presents a deadly creature, cryptic clues, and a ticking clock that forces proactive investigation. As hunters, players navigate society events by day and stalk supernatural horrors by night, all while uncovering a larger conspiracy that spans the campaign.

The Sinister Setting

Victorian England is fertile ground for horror, and The Between amplifies every shadow with evocative detail. The campaign begins at Hargrave House, an eccentric London mansion that serves as home base for the hunters. Think of it as the supernatural counterpart to Baker Street or the X-Men’s Xavier Institute; strange relics line its halls and secret passageways invite exploration.

From the gaslit alleys of Whitechapel to the opulent drawing rooms of Mayfair, locations are painted with just enough description to spark the imagination. The Keeper (the game’s facilitator) builds on these backdrops, weaving in historical figures, chimney sweeps, and occult societies. Because the game is Powered by the Apocalypse, scenes evolve through collaborative narration, making every corner of London feel alive and dangerous.

Atmosphere Through Clockwork

Time is a tangible resource in The Between. A threat begins with a custom clock that ticks forward when hunters fail rolls, hesitate too long, or suffer narrative setbacks. As the clock advances, clues vanish, victims die, and the creature grows bolder. This persistent sense of "too little, too late" elevates mundane encounters into pulse-pounding vignettes.

Core Mechanics and Playbooks

The Between uses a streamlined 2d6+stat mechanic familiar to fans of Apocalypse World, yet it introduces innovations that reinforce investigative horror. Players choose from distinct playbooks such as The Vessel, The American, The Mother, or The Explorer, each brimming with bespoke moves and rich backstory prompts. These playbooks shape not only mechanics but also dramatic arcs; for example, The Vessel begins the game already haunted by an otherworldly entity, creating internal conflict from session one.

Character moves focus on gathering clues, forming flashbacks, and engaging in daringly reckless acts. The "Paint the Scene" procedure invites all players to add sensory details, ensuring the narrative remains a shared tapestry rather than a one-sided monologue by the Keeper.

The Unraveling Mystery Deck

One standout mechanic is the Unraveling Mystery Deck, a series of face-down prompts that the Keeper reveals after every completed threat. These prompts foreshadow the mastermind orchestrating London’s horrors. As the deck empties, tension builds toward a climactic confrontation, pushing hunters to balance day-to-day monster hunting with long-term conspiracy sleuthing.

What Makes The Between Stand Out?

With so many horror RPGs on the market, what sets The Between apart? First, it nails the episodic structure. By dividing the campaign into threats, the game offers satisfying short arcs while maintaining an overarching storyline. This makes scheduling easy and allows groups to swap players in and out without derailing the plot.

Second, the game pairs mechanical crunch with theatrical flair. Flashback moves let hunters reveal prepared contingencies in James Bond style, and Mask of the Past scenes invite poignant revelations about each character’s traumas. These cinematic beats give players permission to lean into melodrama without sacrificing tactical depth.

Finally, safety tools such as Lines & Veils and the X-Card are baked directly into the text, acknowledging that Victorian horror often touches on sensitive themes like classism, colonialism, and bodily autonomy. By foregrounding consent, The Between ensures the table remains a welcoming space for chilling thrills.

Expansions and Compatible Supplements

Since its release, The Between has spawned official threat packs and community-created content. Popular supplements include "The Blind King", which introduces occult politics in the House of Lords, and "The St. James Street Ghost", perfect for one-shot convention play. Because the system is rooted in Apocalypse Engine DNA, you can also adapt threats from Monster of the Week or Brindlewood Bay with minimal effort.

The publisher regularly releases free mysteries via Patreon, making it easy to keep the horrors fresh. Fans have also produced custom playbooks, from The Spiritualist to The Detective Inspector, broadening the game’s archetypal palette.

Tips for First-Time Keepers

Running The Between can feel daunting, especially if you are new to mystery-focused games. Start small: select a two-session threat like "The Coven of Boston Wood" to learn pacing. Prep three evocative clues per location rather than scripting solutions. During play, ask open-ended questions—"What does the butcher’s ledger smell like?"—to prompt collaborative world-building.

Remember the rule of momentum: let the threat clock tick forward when the table stalls. Nothing galvanizes players like hearing the soft click of impending doom. Lastly, use dramatic cuts between scenes to maintain a cinematic rhythm, shifting spotlights so every hunter shines.

Why Your Table Should Dive Into The Between

If your group craves immersive stories drenched in dread, moral ambiguity, and spectral fog, The Between is an essential addition to your RPG shelf. Its accessible mechanics, strong safety framework, and episodic design make it ideal for both long-term campaigns and pick-up play. More importantly, it encourages bold narrative choices, rewarding players who embrace the macabre beauty of Victorian horror.

By the time your hunters confront the mastermind’s final lair—perhaps beneath Westminster Abbey or aboard a dirigible over the Thames—they will have grappled with personal demons as terrifying as any fanged monstrosity. That emotional resonance is the hallmark of great horror gaming, and The Between delivers it with goose-bump precision.

Conclusion

The Between is more than a monster-of-the-week game; it is a rich canvas for exploring the shadows of history and humanity. Whether you are a Keeper seeking fresh thrills or a player yearning for gothic heroics, take up residence in Hargrave House and step bravely into the fog. The horrors awaiting you in The Between will chill, challenge, and ultimately captivate.