Complication Curatives for Draw Steel

In the grand bazaars of Capital, the colorful tents of merchants from all over Orden vie for your attention. As the smells and sounds threaten to overwhelm you, one dark hut catches your eye. Perhaps you would have missed it, if the dark shadows hanging on the rafters on a sunny day weren't so unmissable. As you step inside, a fire crackles under a boiling pot of acrid-smelling something. A cackle rings out,

“By burning fire and cauldron bubbles,
Let Mother smother thy toils and troubles.”

Have your players been brought down by their complications? Do you actually need to remind them that they have complications? How often did it come up this past year? Why not introduce them to an NPC that wants their complications more than they do?  Either way, this old hag lady needs a hero to help with her hoarding problem.

Inspired by a year of Draw Steel where I never remembered to bring up my player's Complications, Complication Curatives introduces Mother Morose, a drop-in NPC that can be easily inserted into a campaign to remind you (and your players) of their annoying complications.

This supplement includes:

• Mother Morose, a new hedge witch/hag NPC for your Draw Steel game
• Mechanics to remove or reroll character Complications
• Adventure and mechanics to remove the Complication drawback
• Adventure hook to get crafting project components or recipes
• Sick-ass rhymes

Credits

Writing and Design: Aaron Pangilinan (Xylock)
Editing and Feedback: Gabby Ozaeta
Playtesting: Alysha Magtuto, Gabby Ozaeta, Rana Nuyles, Sam Nuyles, Ysa Da Silva
Layout template:  Google Docs template by dazrin1325
Public Domain Art Adapted from: The Works of Shakespeare vol. 3 (1867) and The Plays of William Shakespeare (c. 1864–68) provided by Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive; Mr. VVilliam Shakespeares comedies, histories, & tragedies : published according to the true originall copies (1623) provided by Folger Shakespeare Library; The Apparition of the Armed Head: Macbeth (ca. 1781) provided by the Yale Center for British Art.

Originally created for Jams of the Timescape Volume III, a DRAW STEEL community game jam.

AI Pledge

This work was made by humans. No AI or Machine Generated works are included in this project. Supporting this project means you are supporting real human beings who have dreams, passions, & bills. Thank You.

License

"Complication Curatives” is an independent product published under the DRAW STEEL Creator License and is not affiliated with MCDM Productions, LLC. DRAW STEEL © 2026 MCDM Productions, LLC.