Section 1 System Reference v0.6.2
Taxonomy
- “You”/“Your” are used to refer to players and their characters, interchangeably.
- “Challenge” is used to represent anything that is antagonistic to you, be that an NPC, the environment, etc.
- Meta game concepts, stats and currencies are marked in italic.
- Book references are marked in
code, they might be accompanied by page ranges.
1.1 Characters
- With the other players, define a cohesive group concept.
- Always start with a Name and Archetype.
- Roll for Attributes and assign points.
- (Optional) Roll for and choose Skills.
- Roll for Grit and Ego.
- Choose one Advancement.
- Choose a trinket, choose a patch, make an image.
A text version of the character sheet is available here. An artistic version is available here.
1.1.1 Archetypes
You are defined by an Archetype, which encapsulates your background, concept and role within the narrative. Each Archetype should offer an immediate grasp of your identity and behaviours. It is expected you will evolve beyond these initial Archetypes towards unique narratives.
| Archetype | Description | Skill Groups (Optional) |
|---|---|---|
| Clergy | Spiritual leaders and advisors | Cultures, Administration |
| Bureaucrat | Administrators and office workers | Liaison, Administration |
| Trainer | Coaches and fitness instructors | Athletics, Administration |
| Agent | Covert operatives and enforcers | Violence, Administration |
| Coder | Programmers and software developers | Technology, Administration |
| Artist | Creators of art and culture | Liaison, Cultures |
| Criminal | Illicit operatives and thieves | Survival, Cultures |
| Dilettante | Jack-of-all-trades and adventurers | Athletics, Liaison |
| Protector | Bodyguards and security personnel | Violence, Liaison |
| Disciple | Devoted followers and apprentices | Survival, Liaison |
| Fixer | Repair experts and mediators | Technology, Liaison |
| Academic | Scholars and researchers | Sciences, Liaison |
| Spy | Undercover agents and infiltrators | Survival, Athletics |
| Soldier | Survivalists and combat experts | Survival, Violence |
| Spacer | ||
| Traveller | Explorers and navigators | Vehicles, Survival |
| Mechanic | Engineers and machine operators | Vehicles, Technology |
| Scientist | Researchers and innovators | Sciences, Technology |
1.1.2 Attributes
There are \(6\) Attributes that you can use to overcome obstacles.
- Intuition: track targets, understand creatures, care, survive.
- Reason: concentrate, think abstractly, build knowledge.
- Finesse: dextrous manipulation, precision, subtle misdirection.
- Exertion: apply physical force and power, melee.
- Attunement: get in the flow and tune the arcane or technology.
- Influence: compel obedience, socialise, influence.
Each Attribute has a rating (from \(0\) to \(4\)) that determine how many Light Dice to roll when performing Risky Actions. On the character sheet, their ratings are read horizontally.
Saves are groupings of two Attributes each.
- Evasion groups Intuition and Reason.
- Fortitude groups Finesse and Exertion.
- Resolve groups Attunement and Influence
Saves also have ratings (from \(0\) to \(2\)) that determine how many dice to roll in a Reaction situation. On the character sheet, their ratings are read vertically.
Determine Attributes
For each Save grouping (Insight, Prowess, and Resolve) roll \(1d\) and consult the table below to determine how many Attribute points you have to distribute for each.
| \(1:3\) | \(4:5\) | \(6\) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attribute points | \(1\) | \(2\) | \(3\) |
If you are not using Skills in your game, choose an Attribute and assign it an additional point.
In certain conditions, you might permanently lose Attribute points, this is discussed in other sections.
Example: Scuff’s Attributes
Scuff has an Attunement Attribute rating of \(3\) (read horizontally). They roll \(3d\) when performing a Risky Action related to Attunement. They also have Influence \(0\) (horizontally), so they roll \(0d\) (i.e. no chance if no advantage is found). If their Resolve is challenged, they may roll a Reaction with \(1d\), based on their Resolve/Willpower Save rating (read vertically).
1.1.3 Skills
Using Skills is optional. You can assign an additional Attribute point if you choose to not use Skills in your game.
Skills pertain to Skill groups. The list below contain example Skills per group. With the GM you can adapt these or create new ones.
- Administration: Law, Business, Investigation, Trading, Negotiation
- Cultures: Religion, Arts, Alien, Streetwise, Spacers, World (specify), Language (specify)
- Liaison: Leadership, Persuasion, Connections, Empathy, Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Seduction
- Athletics: Speed, Acrobatics, Throwing, Strength, Endurance, Zero-G
- Violence: Energy projectiles, Small guns, Primitive projectiles, Long range weapons, Mount gunnery, Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing, Unarmed
- Survival: Sneak, Orientation, Forage, Tame, Crafting, Tactics, Vigilance
- Technology: Astronautics, Medical, Computers, Machinery, Explosives, Robotics, Battledress, Electronics
- Vehicles: Aircraft, Civilian land craft, Military land craft, Spacecrafts, Watercraft
- Sciences: Geology, Ecology, Psychology, History, Medicine, Linguistics, Chemistry, Archaeology
Every time a Skill is relevant for a Risky Action, you roll an extra Light Die. It is assumed you are always honing your Skills and learning new ones. It takes 2 years and material costs to develop a new Skill while you take your normal day-to-day activities.
1.1.4 Grit & Ego
“It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward” (Rocky Balboa)
While Grit represents your disposition, Ego represents your resilience to keep pushing. Roll \(1d\) to determine your Grit and Ego. Advancements and conditions may change the number of dice you roll.
Trauma
You lose Grit when you are harmed. When your Grit reaches \(0\) you start marking Trauma tracks. You have \(3\) Trauma tracks: Stressed (\(-1d\) Insight), Broken (\(-1d\) Prowess) and Weary (\(-1d\) Resolve). When all three Wound tracks are marked, you become Mortally Wounded.
While Mortally Wounded you cannot gather Light Die for your Risky Actions. You will die instantly if harmed further, or in minutes if not attended to. If you survive being Mortally Wounded, you develop a Malaise. Roll \(1d\) and consult the table below. With the GM, describe it narratively.
| Malaises | |
|---|---|
| \(1\) | No Malaise. |
| \(2\) | \(-1\) Prowess, you die if it goes below \(0d\). |
| \(3\) | \(-1\) Insight, you die if it goes below \(0d\). |
| \(4\) | \(-1\) Resolve, you die if it goes below \(0d\). |
| \(5\) | When you re-roll your Ego, use \(-1d\) from now on. You die if it goes below \(0d\). |
| \(6\) | Re-roll your Grit with \(-1d\) from now on. You die if it goes below \(0d\). |
After a well fed and rested night, you roll and reset your Grit (\(1d\)). If you did not rest well you have \(-1d\) to roll for Grit. Each Wound track recovers through appropriate care and a week’s rest. A Malaise never recovers.
Pushing yourself
You spend Ego when you push beyond yourself in Risky Actions. When your Ego reaches \(0\) you are lost somehow. With the GM determine how your last scene goes.
Any time you Fail in a Risky Action you may choose to suffer a Panic Event. When you do so, roll your Ego die (\(1d\)) and consult the table below.
| Outcome | |
|---|---|
| \(1:3\) | Reset your Ego to \(1:3\). You Flight, compelled to leave the scene. |
| \(4:5\) | Reset your Ego to \(4:5\). You Freeze, silently or otherwise. |
| \(6\) | Reset your Ego to \(6\). You Fight, obsessed with being successful during the scene. |
Describe the outcome narrativelly. In any case, after the scene ends, you gain a Condition. With the GM, determine the mechanical effects and how to introduce your Condition into the narrative.
Example: Scuff’s scuffs
Scuff has \(1d\) for both Grit and Ego (usual for early characters). They have seen some harm, having lost \(3\) Grit (from \(5\) to \(2\)) and taken a Hazed wound. This means that any time they roll related to Insight (Intuition or Reason for Risky Actions, or Evasion Reaction), they take \(-1d\).
Scuff also risked their Ego a few times, and took a Condition to reset it (from 2 to 4). Finally, they have gotten a malaise at some point, having reduced their Exertion Attribute rating because of a weakened lower back.
1.1.5 Advancements
As you become more seasoned, you gain Advancements. You start the game with \(1\) Advancement. The list below are examples of a simple framework for their in-game mechanics.
For every session you play (and survive) you gain \(+2\) Experience. You also gain \(+1\) Experience for each new Condition you develop.
Whenever it is narratively coherent, you may spend Experience equal to \(2\times\) your current number of Advancements to gain a new one.
| Asceticism | You do not take \(-1d\) when rolling for Grit while poorly fed. |
| Assassin | \(+2d\) when trying to assassinate an unaware rival. |
| Bodyguard | You can choose to take damage instead of one of your allies. |
| Could be worse | When Broken you do not take the penalty of \(-1d\). |
| Danger sense | \(+1d\) whenever you use a Insight/Evasion Save. |
| Developed | Gain \(1\) in an Attribute. The maximum you can have in all Attributes together is \(10\). |
| Die Hard | When you reset your Grit, roll \(+1d\) and sum all the dice you rolled. |
| Dodger | Human unarmed or primitive weapons cannot hit you. |
| Eager | When you reset your Ego, roll \(+1d\) and keep the highest. |
| Expert | You have \(2\) additional skill points. This is only available during character creation. |
| Fast | When you roll, your Effect is always applied first. |
| Healer | You can automatically stabilise a Mortally Wounded ally. |
| Henchkeeper | You automatically succeed acquiring non-combatant henchmen in a community. |
| Ironhide | When unarmoured, your Armour is \(1\). |
| Sensory acuity | You have \(+1d\) on noticing things through a chosen sense. |
| Sleek | \(+1d\) whenever you contort yourself to to break free. |
| Spacefarer | You automatically succeed in piloting Challenges up to \(3d\). |
| Martial combatant | Unarmed attacks are not considered improvised. |
| Unyielding | When Weary you do not take the penalty of \(-1d\). |
| Whirlwind | In melee combat, when you are successful, select an additional die as a second effect. |
1.1.6 Conditions
Conditions are detrimental mechanically, but not necessarily negative in the narrative. The list below can be used as a starting point. With the GM you can adapt these or create new ones.
- Fear-Driven Vigilance: Fear instills a heightened sense of vigilance, making you more cautious. In situations related to the your fear, you have \(-1d\)
- Obsessive Focus: Your single-minded pursuit leads to significant personal development and expertise in a specific area, in detriment of others. Gain \(+1\) Point in one Skill and \(-1\) Point in two other Skills.
- Moral Reservations: Your steadfast morality leads to a firm stance on certain issues. Actions that go against your moral code have \(-1d\).
- Compulsive Honesty: You vow to always speak the truth.
- Kleptomaniac: You are unable to resist urges to steal items that you generally don’t really need.
- Battle-Scarred: After some injury, you develop a scar. You might have lost part of a member, an eye, or something else that impacts you physically, intellectually or socially.
- Protective Instinct: You are genuinely concerned with your team’s welfare, and become a reluctant leader. When an ally is in danger, you have \(-1d\).
- Estranged: You lose the bond with someone you love or cherish. With the GM, agree the mechanical impact.
- Slow: When you roll, your Effect is always applied last.
1.1.7 Equipment
The following is a list of equipment tags.
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| \(-1d\) | Improvised |
| \(-1e\) | Inefective: Disadvataged Effect is applied. |
| \(\emptyset\) | Base: No modifications. |
| \(s+\) | Slaughter: Effect die explodes \(5+\). |
| \(+1e\) | Effective: Advantaged Effect is applied. |
| \(+1d\) | Heavy Firepower: Add a Light Die. |
The table below contains example weapons, and may be expanded with the GM. For ranges, use what is narratively appropriate.
| Tags | Melee Examples | Ranged Examples |
|---|---|---|
| \(-1d\) | Unarmed | Throwing Objects |
| \(-1e\) | Small Primitive | |
| \(\emptyset\) | Medium Primitive Small Advanced |
Bow & arrow (Laser) Pistol / Revolver |
| \(s+\) | Large Primitive Medium Advanced |
(Semi) Auto Pistol SMG |
| \(+1e\) | Large Advanced | Laser / Hunting Rifle |
| \(+1e\) \(s+\) |
Grenade Shotgun Military Rifle |
|
| \(+1d\) | Sniper / Plasma Rifle | |
| \(+1d\) \(s+\) |
HMG | |
| \(+1d\) \(+1e\) |
Mounted HMG | |
| \(+1d\) \(+1e\) \(s+\) |
Anti-vehicle Weapons Rocket Laucher |
Armours act as buffers when you take damage from Challenges. Subtract the armour modifier from the Effect before reducing your Grit
| Armour | Modifier | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Light | \(-1e\) | |
| Heavy | \(-2e\) | \(-1d\) to run, observe, sneak, swim, etc. |
| Shield | \(-1e\) | Can be sacrificed to completely avoid an Effect. |
1.2 Rules
1.2.1 Risky Actions
When you are trying your chances at a Risky Action, say what you intend to do. With the GM determine your appropriate Attribute or Save. Then gather 6-sided dice.
| Dice Pool | |
|---|---|
 |
Take a number of Light Dice equal to your applicable Attribute or Save. Add \(1d\) if you have an appropriate Skill. Relevant Advancements / Conditions may give you \(\pm 1d\). You must always roll between \(0d\) and \(4d\) Light Dice. |
 |
Take as many Dark Dice as you wish to risk Ego for pushing yourself for a success. For each Dark Die that rolls equal or lower than your current Ego, decrease your Ego in one. |
Roll the dice and choose one die to be your Precision (generally the highest, but you might choose differently if you wish) and consult the table.
| Outcome | |
|---|---|
| \(1:3\) | You Fail, and things get worse. With the GM describe the consequences. The GM may also allow you to succeed, but things will get worse in some other way. |
| \(4:5\) | You Succeed, but there’s some consequences. If applying Effects, they are halved. With the GM describe the complication and how you succeed. |
| \(6\) | You Succeed. With the GM describe what happens. |
Risky Actions may be used when you are working on something time consuming. This favours pacing of the game.
1.2.2 Challenges
Sometimes, multiple actions are required to overcome Challenges. Examples of Challenges are
- fighting an enemy,
- duelling rhetorically,
- negotiating an environment,
- crawling a location,
- journeying.
Effects
Effects determines the quantitative result of your Risky Actions towards overcoming Challenges. Examples of Effects are:
- Damage given,
- Convincing done,
- Distance covered,
- Weakness learned.
When you roll your Risky Actions, choose one die to be your Effect (generally the second highest, if the highest was used as Precision). The Effect die is an exploding die (i.e. if the result is a \(6\), keep rolling and accumulating the result). The Effect is modified depending on the approach you take. Your Effect is subtracted from the Challenge Disposition.
| Approaches | |
|---|---|
| \(-1e\) Disadvantaged |
Primitive tool Weak argument Small weapons |
| \(\pm 0e\) Baseline |
Fit for purpose tool; Good argument; Medium weapons |
| \(+1e\) Advantaged |
Expert grade tool Strong rationale Large weapons |
Tiers
Challenges are divided in Tiers, which define how much Effect they take to be overcame (Disposition), and how many Effect dice they use (Dice).
| Tier | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| Trivial | \(1\) \(d/2\) |
Unskilled adversaries, low height climb, known journey |
| Dangerous | \(5\) \(1d\) |
Skilled adversaries, small predator, large prey, troublesome journey |
| Serious | \(10\) \(2d\) |
Expert adversaries, large predator, traverse fire or acid |
| Formidable | \(15\) \(3d\) |
Human prime, apex predator, climbing the Everest |
| Exceptional | \(20+\) \(4d+\) |
Transhuman, often fatal environments, heroic journeys |
Some challenges might be multifaceted. A bulky rival might be a Dangerous Challenge to fight against, but a Trivial Challenge to be convinced to ignore you.
When Challenge Effects are applied to you narratively, use the table.
| Consequence | |
|---|---|
| \(1:3\) | Something annoying happens. An uncertain encounter. |
| \(4:5\) | Something troublesome happens. An unfriendly encounter. |
| \(6+\) | Something devastating happens. A hostile encounter. |
| \(12+\) | \(6+\) and immediately harmful. A hostile and violent encounter |
When Challenge Effects are applied to you as damage your Grit might be reduced. Subtract the armour rating from the Effect, and then reduce the remainder from your Grit.
When you reduce a Challenge’s Disposition to \(0\), you have defeated it for now. If the Challenge is sentient, and has a choice, the GM might roll its Dice and consult the Morale table below.
| Morale | |
|---|---|
| \(1:3\) | They give up. |
| \(4:5\) | They push through, with a lower Tier. Reset its Disposition and Dice to the new Tier. |
| \(6+\) | They continue with the original Tier. Reset its Disposition. |
Consequences
The following is a non-exhaustive list of consequences.
- Advance trouble
- Reveal an unwelcome truth
- Ask a provocative question
- Put someone on a spot, worsen position or stress
- Use up their resources
- Remove a safety net, cut supply or connection
- Remove a sense
- Hurt someone, directly or collateral
- Separate them
- Capture someone
- Turn their action back on them
- Demonstrate a downside
- Expose a secret
- Offer an opportunity (with a tough choice)
- Tell them the consequences (e.g. create a witness)
- Advance a countdown, progress a new challenge
- Increase risk (roll morale)
- Exploit someone’s flaw
- Change the environment
- Provide a choice of paths
- Bar the way, make them go backward
- Hint at more than meets the eye
- Present a discovery
- Point to a looming danger
- Introduce person, faction, danger
- Offer riches at a price
1.2.3 Fortune die
When the GM wants to leave some decision to the dice, determine the chances and roll \(1d\).
1.2.4 Sayonara
At any moment you can decide it is your last scene. When you do that, choose a song and then re-roll your Ego and Grit, keeping the highest values. For this scene, you only expend Ego if you roll a \(1\) on Dark Dice. By the end of the scene, you have to figure out how you depart (death, madness, mission, etc.). You can create a new character with half (rounded up) the number of Advancements the previous character had.