Noir

Noir

Streetlights smear across wet pavement. The case begins with a simple favour, a missing person or a photograph someone shouldn’t have. You play the weary gumshoe, the fixer with debts, or the singer who knows too much. Scenes swing from smoky back rooms to midnight stakeouts and noisy diners. Clues are delicate. Allies want something. Every question comes at a cost. In a session, you chase leads, press your contacts, and decide which line to cross when the truth bites back.

Noir sings at the table because small choices matter. Players pool hunches, build theories, and trade favours to crack the puzzle. It suits beginners who appreciate clear goals and character-driven play. It shines for team events where cooperation and negotiation triumph over brute force. Veterans relish the moral dilemmas and the sting of consequences. Combat is rare and swift, allowing more room for voice, timing, and clever risks.

Our Game Masters run noir in City of Mist, Fate Core, GUMSHOE mysteries, Blades in the Dark crews, and the Blade Runner RPG. Tone is adjustable. Gritty and fatalistic, or wry and stylish. Street-level and grounded, or brushed with the supernatural. We can keep it PG for mixed groups, or delve into darker themes for adults. If you want a specific engine, browse the systems list here: see available game systems.

Common questions

How does noir differ from a classic whodunit or police procedural?

Noir is less about restoring order and more about making choices under pressure. You take on the role of someone with a past, navigating a city where power is corrupt and favours are the currency. The law is seldom on your side, so leads often arise from risky deals rather than lab reports. Answers can be painful. You might solve the case, but the truth comes at a cost, and tidy conclusions are uncommon. Prepare for moral ambiguities, conflicted allies, and consequences that linger into the final scene.

Which game systems are best suited for noir stories?

City of Mist offers cinematic investigations with tags and drives. GUMSHOE ensures clues are easy to access, keeping the tension in how you connect them. Fate Core employs aspects and compels to present difficult choices. Blades in the Dark is ideal for crew-focused escapades and features clocks that track rising heat. Blade Runner introduces corporate pressure and themes of identity. A professional Game Master will align the system with your group’s style and time slot. You can browse options here: see available game systems.

Is noir suitable for first-time players or family groups?

Yes, with the right framing. Scenes focus on conversation, deduction, and social leverage, allowing newcomers to shine without needing to memorise rules. A professional Game Master can maintain a cleaner tone, using fade-to-black for violence, softening vices, and keeping language mild. Table safety tools are standard, and content lines are established before play. For families, the vibe can lean towards clever capers and tough choices without bleak outcomes. Veterans can opt for sharper themes, but it never has to be graphic to convey a noir feel.

What can we anticipate in a one-shot noir session?

A compact case designed for 3 to 4 hours. You begin with quick character hooks and debts, then a client’s issue comes to light. The middle involves legwork, stakeouts, and applying pressure on suspects, with clues coming in steadily to maintain the story's momentum. A mid-session revelation prompts a tough decision, rather than a lengthy firefight. The finale presents a choice between undesirable options, followed by brief epilogues that illustrate the consequences. Our Game Masters utilise handouts, timelines, and music to keep the mood and pace sharp.

Booking Form


Click to select dates

0/1500
Illustration of a dragon perched on a rock, with wings spread and detailed line art, similar to a dragon from lotr.

Sent!

Illustration of a dragon perched on a rock, with wings spread and detailed line art, similar to a dragon from lotr.

Nat 1, give it another go!

Please try again or email info@storyforgers.ie

Game systems for Noir

  • Cyberpunk

    • Cyberpunk +7
    • 2 – 6 players
    • Moderate rules

    Take control of the neon sprawl with Cyberpunk RED, the near-future game featuring mercs, megacorps, and tough decisions from R. Talsorian Games. Experience fast, lethal action, cutting-edge technology, and high-stakes heists. If you're familiar with Cyberpunk 2077, you'll recognise the grit and flair.

    View system: Cyberpunk
  • Blades in the Dark

    • Heist +7
    • 2 – 5 players
    • Moderate rules

    Execute audacious jobs as a band of rogues in a haunted industrial city. Blades in the Dark combines high-stakes heists, harsh repercussions, and crew development, utilising flashbacks and stress to maintain a quick pace. Imagine Dishonoured, but you and your mates are the ones pulling the strings.

    View system: Blades in the Dark
  • Shadowrun

    • Cyberpunk +7
    • 3 – 6 players
    • In-depth rules

    Neon streets, ruthless megacorps, and awakened magic collide. In Shadowrun, you play as professional criminals executing heists, hacking systems, and negotiating with spirits. Imagine Blade Runner with elves and spells, all guided by a skilled Game Master who ensures the chaos remains thrilling and enjoyable.

    View system: Shadowrun
  • City of Mist

    • Urban Fantasy +7
    • 2 – 5 players
    • Moderate rules

    City of Mist is an urban fantasy noir where your crew investigates crimes while harnessing mythic powers. Imagine American Gods set in rain-soaked back alleys. A professional Game Master crafts mysteries, moral dilemmas, and cinematic action tailored to your group.

    View system: City of Mist
  • Fiasco

    • Crime +6
    • 3 – 5 players
    • Simple rules

    Fiasco is a quick, GMless storytelling game about small-time capers that go horribly wrong. Imagine a blend of crime, comedy, and disaster like in Fargo. You and your friends create tangled relationships, set the scenes, and witness ambitious plans unravel into amusing, and at times, heart-wrenching outcomes.

    View system: Fiasco
  • Orbital Blues

    • Western +7
    • 2 – 5 players
    • Simple rules

    Drift the fringes as outlaw spacers balancing jobs, debts, and heartache. Orbital Blues is a rules-light space western filled with heists, narrow escapes, and found family. Imagine Cowboy Bebop, then make it your own across dusty ports and neon dives.

    View system: Orbital Blues
  • Dungeons & Dragons

    • High Fantasy +7
    • 1 – 7 players
    • Moderate rules

    Craft your own fantasy story with Dungeons & Dragons. Assemble a group of daring heroes, outwit traps, negotiate with dragons, and seize treasure in vibrant realms. Imagine the camaraderie of The Lord of the Rings, but you decide the routes, the conflicts, and the conclusion.

    View system: Dungeons & Dragons
  • Call of Cthulhu

    • Cosmic Horror +7
    • 2 – 6 players
    • Moderate rules

    Call of Cthulhu is the classic game of investigative cosmic horror. Take on the role of doomed investigators delving into occult mysteries and the limits of sanity.

    View system: Call of Cthulhu

What players have to say

  • Tom was brilliant! He was really great with the kids and very patient with his explanations. It was a wonderful evening and definitely worth doing again! The children asked the next day when we would be doing this again.

    Danny

  • First of all, I want to say that Sebastian was really great as a DM. For his first run as a booked DM, he did an excellent job. The 3 stars refer to the following: 1. We were disappointed that the adventure was labelled a One Shot yet wasn't a complete story. Discovering that there are two more parts wasn't very positive for us, as it meant there was no satisfying conclusion to the story. 2. As new players, it was difficult for us to understand the English character sheets in such a short time. In German, it would have been much easier. Even receiving the character sheets a few days in advance would have been helpful for preparation. 3. More guidance would be beneficial. Especially for beginners, a more linear one shot would have been preferable. We wasted a significant portion of the adventure time doing unnecessary things because we didn't fully understand how the game worked. Overall, I think the StoryForgers concept is really good and I see a lot of potential in it, especially for introducing new players to D&D. I hope you don't take my feedback the wrong way but see it as honest criticism. Best regards, Mario

    Mario

  • Bryan was exceptional. We had a group with varying levels of experience, and he managed to keep everyone engaged and involved. His positive attitude made the game enjoyable for all. I really appreciated how he could clearly explain what was needed from our less experienced players while keeping our more seasoned players on their toes with his deep knowledge of the game. Everyone in our party had a fantastic time thanks to Bryan.

    Jeremy

  • Dayron was fantastic. Well-prepared, punctual, and had a brilliant sense of humour.

    Corey

  • Dayron was fantastic; he provided a brilliant experience. Thanks!

    Casey

    The Merry Meeple

  • The game was really engaging. I got a game as a present for my boyfriend, who is very keen on it, and he was very pleased and appreciated Leonardo's professionalism. I don't have much experience with DnD, but I found the game to be quite straightforward and enjoyable.

    Marina

  • Baptiste was an excellent GM who adapted well to our group and helped us progress in this one-shot. However, there was one issue with the character sheets provided, as they were not complete or clear. Some of the French translations were rather approximate. For instance, our cleric was missing spells, including a healing spell, even though they were meant to have some.

    Pierre

  • Rachel was fantastic; my daughter and her friends left the game saying it was the most fun they’d ever had, and my daughter wanted to sign up for another session with her straight away. She was friendly, and her approach let the players fully immerse themselves in the game by giving them control over how they wanted their actions to unfold. I would definitely work with her again.

    John

  • A nice and clear first experience with D&D. Amber was able to explain and guide the game effectively, allowing us as players to quickly get into the flow and focus on the story. Collaborating with my colleagues to devise attack routes was an enjoyable activity and provided great insights into each other's characters, thought processes, and differences. Overall, I found it to be a very enjoyable session.

    Jens

    Triodos Bank N.V.

Related genres

  • Crime

    Pull off a clever heist, track down a killer, or navigate the mob's code. Crime games balance strategy, pressure, and morally ambiguous…

    View genre: Crime
  • Gritty

    Difficult decisions, limited resources, and lasting consequences. Picture Game of Thrones, where trust is tenuous, debts must be repaid…

    View genre: Gritty
  • Heist

    Gather the team, scout the target, and execute the heist. Picture Ocean's Eleven, complete with ingenious strategies, skilled roles, narrow…

    View genre: Heist
  • Cyberpunk

    Neon nights, buzzing servers, and tough decisions. You take on the roles of hackers, street samurai, and fixers executing jobs for and…

    View genre: Cyberpunk
  • Dystopian

    Struggle to breathe in a world that monitors your every action, think 1984. Conceal, hack, and resist as you navigate oppressive laws…

    View genre: Dystopian
  • Conspiracy

    Unravel layers of deception as you follow leads through dimly lit rooms, encrypted files, and betrayals. Paranoia escalates with each clue…

    View genre: Conspiracy
  • Mystery

    Follow the clues, construct timelines, and apprehend the culprit. Think Knives Out, but you are the detective, assembling alibis and…

    View genre: Mystery
  • Espionage

    Tradecraft, dead drops, double agents, and high-stakes decisions under pressure. Imagine Mission: Impossible at the table, where every…

    View genre: Espionage
Black diagonal cross icon, commonly used to close popups or dismiss notifications on websites.

We’re Looking for Dungeon Masters!

StoryForgers is seeking enthusiastic and imaginative Dungeon Masters to become part of our team.
Are you interested?