The Fish Heist

Core Rulebook by Goose & Grimoire

Set in Wellington, the seaport capital of New Zealand, a gang of penguins has caught wind of rumoured treasure troves of fish hidden away in markets, fishing boats, and sushi restaurants. Tired of fishing for themselves, these penguins (played by the characters) have decided to stage a heist before the humans catch on.

The Fish Heist is a tabletop roleplaying game about small daring thieves ready to mount a heist to capture the largest amount of fish Aotearoa has ever seen. For this, you are going to take on the roles of penguins and hit the streets of Wellington to steal from a fishing boat, the market or the trendiest sushi restaurant in town. Do your best to get in, capture the fish, and get out, all of this before you get captured yourself and sent to the worst place imaginable: The Wellington Zoo.

The Fist Heist is suited for 2 to 4 players with a gamemaster and only needs a few hours to play. The tone is very comedic with no intention to be taken seriously, making this a game suitable for families with children and people looking for a light-hearted game system.

This game takes place in Aotearoa New Zealand (referred to as Aotearoa throughout the book). We acknowledge the mana whenua of this land and honour Māori as tangata whenua. We recognise their deep connection to the land and waters that our penguins waddle through, steal from, and occasionally fall into. This game is made with respect for the people, places, and stories of Aotearoa.

Inspiration: 24XX system, The Penguins of Madagascar, Honey Heist, Feathers McGraw (Wallace & Gromit), Blades in the Dark

The 32-page booklet features:

• 3 different penguin breeds native to Aotearoa to choose from.
• 4 different heist specialities. Will you be the brains behind the heist as The Planner. Or the expert in moving around quietly, as The Sneak.
• 15 different skills to develop as a penguin. Is your penguin more comfortable with sliding across the restaurant floor, screeching to distract humans passing by, or manipulating human tools?
• A full overview of lightweight rules for you to run the game, all based on 2400 by Jason Tocci. The rules are simple enough for gamemasters to rely on during full games and leave enough space for those who desire to homebrew and adapt them in their own manner.
• A progression system giving the players the ability to improve their own penguins as soon as they return to base with their treasure.
• A simple setting (Wellington) and example locations to help dive into the game with a description of their own village lodged in the rocks north of the city.
• A full shop system with 20 fun items for players to choose from when starting their heists.
• 12 different fish species native to New Zealand waters with their descriptions and values for the players to see what they can expect on their next heists.
• A few pages dedicated to the local Māori culture, a short explanation of its importance, and some vocabulary that can be used during the game.
• A built-in heist location featuring room locations and open-ended encounters to help gamemasters in need of some inspiration.
• 4 random tables to help generate future heists for the players.
• A Quick Reference Cheat Sheet at the back of the booklet with its most important rules for the most dire situations.

The Fish Heist is available through DriveThruRPG in PDF.

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