Giallo: The Simple Approach

A system-adaptable narrative giallo roleplaying sourcebook that’s fully compatible with The Simple Approach system in structure and philosophy of play.

Giallo stories live in the space where beauty and brutality share the same frame. They draw the eye to vivid colors, fractured memories, and lingering details that seem too strange to be coincidence. The murders are not just crimes; they are puzzles wrapped in style, each one layered with sensation and unease. In this genre, the truth hides in plain sight, waiting for the moment when the last piece clicks into place and the image changes forever.

Giallo: The Simple Approach gives you the tools to build these stories for the table. Every element in this book is designed for narrative momentum, rich character arcs, and unforgettable scenes. Whether you’re crafting your own setting from scratch or deepening an existing world, you can select or roll for characters, factions, and places that carry the hallmarks of the genre. You get the freedom to lean into the visual, thematic, and psychological textures that make giallo so distinct.

The framework is story-first, so it slides easily into any system you already use. The trait structure from The Simple Approach focuses on what matters most for this kind of play: motivations, relationships, and thematic weight. This keeps your attention on the unfolding mystery instead of on mechanical overhead. If you own the Principia, the core book, you’ll have even more tools to draw from, but nothing here depends on it.

The value is in how these pieces work together at the table. Your giallo game can be a one-night case or a slow-burn series of interconnected crimes. The system-adaptable nature means you’re not locked into any one set of rules, and the tables are as useful for improvising in play as they are for session prep. You’ll find that even the random results often feel deliberate, as if the genre itself is conspiring to create the perfect reveal.

If you’ve ever wanted to run a mystery that pulses with tension, where each scene is a clue and every character has a shadow, this is the toolkit. The structure is here, the inspiration is here, and the rest is in your hands.

This Book Contains

Inside this book, you’ll find essays and tables to help you make the most of the giallo genre at your tabletop, regardless of the specific system and setting you’re using.

• Character Tables: Archetypes and defining traits that capture the style, motives, and personal flaws common in giallo protagonists and suspects.

• Setting Tables: Locations rich in mood and intrigue, along with traits that shape their atmosphere and narrative potential.

• Faction Tables: Groups that influence events through power, secrecy, or cultural sway, each with unique traits to drive tension.

• Story Tables: Mystery structures, obstacles, rewards, antagonists, and supporting characters tailored for giallo storytelling.

Each table can be rolled on or selected from, used as written, adapted to your vision, or serve as inspiration for original ideas.