You get to create and play a Principal Character (PC), one of the protagonists of the story.
Your job is to narrate your character's actions and reactions. Decide on their agendas, then enact them in interesting ways.
When someone asks "what does your character do, say, or think?", you get to answer.
Whoever plays this card is a principal. Flip for additional rules.
During play, you can speak from one of several agendas.
These agendas can be assigned individually to several people, or all given to a single player ("the Game Master" or "the GM").
The agendas can change hands during the game. You cannot take an agenda away from someone else, but you can ask someone else to give up an agenda.
If you've been assigned a agenda, you are bound to speak from it.
Whoever plays this card is a principal. Flip for additional rules.
Players in the spotlight are the focus of narration. We're asking them for an action that pushes the scene forward, and shining the spotlight until they make one.
Your job is to oversee moving the spotlight from player to player in fun and fair ways.
Move the spotlight:
Whoever plays this card is the facilitator. Flip for additional rules.
During play, you can speak from one of several agendas.
These agendas can be assigned individually to several people, or all given to a single player ("the Game Master" or "the GM").
The agendas can change hands during the game. You cannot take an agenda away from someone else, but you can ask someone else to give up an agenda.
If you've been assigned a agenda, you are bound to speak from it.
Whoever plays this card is the facilitator. Flip for additional rules.
Your job is to establish the history, setting, and canon of the world in which the game happens.
When someone asks, "what do our characters know about X?" and it's not a question for an Ensemble Character (EC) to decide, you get to answer.
Any player can suggest an answer, but you have the final say on what's true. If a specific PC's heritage, origin, or interests concern the question, consider deferring to them.
Whoever plays this card is the lorekeeper. Flip for additional rules.
During play, you can speak from one of several agendas.
These agendas can be assigned individually to several people, or all given to a single player ("the Game Master" or "the GM").
The agendas can change hands during the game. You cannot take an agenda away from someone else, but you can ask someone else to give up an agenda.
If you've been assigned a agenda, you are bound to speak from it.
Whoever plays this card is the lorekeeper. Flip for additional rules.
Your job is to adjudicate questions about the rules of the game, and to make changes to the rules with the group's consent. Any player can suggest how to handle a rule, but you have the final say.
Example rulings:
Whoever plays this card is the referee. Flip for additional rules.
During play, you can speak from one of several agendas.
These agendas can be assigned individually to several people, or all given to a single player ("the Game Master" or "the GM").
The agendas can change hands during the game. You cannot take an agenda away from someone else, but you can ask someone else to give up an agenda.
If you've been assigned a agenda, you are bound to speak from it.
Whoever plays this card is the referee. Flip for additional rules.
The Principal Characters (PCs) are the focus of the game. The game also has Ensemble Characters (ECs), sometimes called Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
Your job is to narrate the ECs' actions and reactions. Decide on their agendas, then enact them in interesting ways.
ECs are allies, antagonists, or anyone else involved in the story but not at the heart of it.
Whoever plays this card is the storyteller. Flip for additional rules.
During play, you can speak from one of several agendas.
These agendas can be assigned individually to several people, or all given to a single player ("the Game Master" or "the GM").
The agendas can change hands during the game. You cannot take an agenda away from someone else, but you can ask someone else to give up an agenda.
If you've been assigned a agenda, you are bound to speak from it.
Whoever plays this card is the storyteller. Flip for additional rules.
Any player may challenge a PC's action if failure is likely and success or failure are both interesting for the story.
When your PC is challenged, you must generate a hit in order to succeed. Other rules provide ways to generate hits.
If you fail to meet a challenge, your PC's intentions are thwarted, or complications arise. There's no challenge if this can't happen.
Flip for additional rules.
Challenges follow the principle of "say yes or roll the dice".
Use challenges to increase or decrease the difficulty of a situation. For example, a risky combat scene might pose several challenges in succession. A simple social encounter might pose only one challenge.
The player posing the challenge should give an idea of what failure looks like. That player, or the Storyteller, might narrate the specifics of failure.
The same action should not be challenged multiple times unless there are both distinct and interesting ways for it to fail. For example, a demonstration of new magic might go awry by itself, but might also anger a jealous wizard who observes it.
Flip for additional rules.
Start the game by reading this text aloud:
"I'd like your help. Your help to make this game fun for everyone. If anything makes anyone uncomfortable in any way, just lift this card up, or simply tap it. You don't have to explain why. It doesn't matter why. When we lift or tap this card, we simply edit out anything X-Carded."
"And if there is ever an issue, anyone can call for a break and we can talk privately. I know it sounds funny but it will help us play amazing games together and usually I'm the one who uses the X card to protect myself from all of you! Please help make this game fun for everyone. Thank you!"
Lay this card at the center of the play area
Start the game by reading this text aloud:
"I'd like your help. Your help to make this game fun for everyone. If anything makes anyone uncomfortable in any way, just lift this card up, or simply tap it. You don't have to explain why. It doesn't matter why. When we lift or tap this card, we simply edit out anything X-Carded."
"And if there is ever an issue, anyone can call for a break and we can talk privately. I know it sounds funny but it will help us play amazing games together and usually I'm the one who uses the X card to protect myself from all of you! Please help make this game fun for everyone. Thank you!"
Lay this card at the center of the play area
Some situations cannot be solved by skill or virtue, but only good fortune.
When you encounter such a crisis, decide what it would take to escape it, such as leaving the area successfully.
Define the scope of the crisis, and flip this card
You may not flip any cards in front of you (e.g. Character cards) to generate hits.
You may flip shared cards (e.g. Plot cards) or draw/pick a new card (e.g. Condition card, Random oracle card).
Flip this card when the crisis is past
Some situations are grueling and exhausting, wearing down your reserves faster than you can recover. Sooner or later, something has to give.
When you encounter such a crisis, decide what it would take to survive it, such as escaping an enemy or saving a friend.
Define the scope of the crisis, and flip this card
No card in front of you (e.g. Character cards) may be flipped more than once to generate a hit.
You may flip group cards (e.g. Plot cards) or draw/pick a new card (e.g. Condition card, Random oracle card).
Flip this card when the crisis is past
Some situations will upset a character's mental equilibrium, or present a challenge so daunting that they aren't prepared to handle it immediately. Ultimately, though, the characters may rally and prevail.
When you encounter such a crisis, decide what it would take to survive it, such as defeating an enemy or finding shelter.
Define the scope of the crisis, and flip this card
Immediately flip all Character cards in front of all players to their back side.
Cards may be flipped back and used in the usual way from then on.
Flip this card when the crisis is past
//"It doesn't matter if I win. It matters if I don't try." -- Emory
Courage is strength in the face of grief or pain. It's not just a willingness to do something, but to do it when there's every reason to hold back.
Courage lets you fight when afraid, speak when being shouted down, stand up when you're injured, or take an unpopular stand.
Flip to get a hit.
//"Emory! Fall back! This isn't our fight!" -- Tana
Courage can twist into cowardice or recklessness. Not everyone knows the right time to run from a battle, or when a battle really needs to be fought. And not everyone is prepared to fight every battle they face.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"I only came here to see you!" -- Basler
The essence of charm is creating a bond with someone. Make them feel interesting, or appreciated, or just part of something cool.
Charm lets you awe, wow, surprise, or comfort people. It gets you through tough situations with style and panache, making people move aside for you or get behind you through force of personality.
Flip to get a hit.
//"Listen, city boy. Stop talking or I'll cut your tongue out." -- Woody
Some people can become enraptured by their own ability to impress and influence. They buy into the story they're selling, until reality intrudes.
Others see charm as deceit, and will trust you less.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"My eye watches the target. My hand lets go the bowstring. I do nothing." -- Woody
You do things without thinking. Your heart, your conscience, a divine command, or something guides your actions.
Instinct lets you act when everything says to hesitate, or when uncertainty overwhelms you, or when speed counts more than reason.
Flip to get a hit.
//"So, he was a king's guard in disguise. He looked like a bad guy!" -- Woody
Only fools rush in, and this time, you were the fool.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"I don't know, I just felt ... something ... flow through me!" -- Tana
The mystical, the eldritch, the arcane. The Power has many names. What do you call it?
You can achieve a variety of supernatural outcomes with magic, such as healing, curses, enchantments, and more.
Flip to get a hit.
//"The Power is much like the ocean. You can sail in it, or drown in it." -- Tana
When called, the Power always comes. That doesn't mean you can always command it.
The costs and consequences of using magic can be anything, even for a familiar spell.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"Basler, where did you get that knife from?" -- Tana
You deal in concealment, stealth, and subterfuge. Your tools are things people don't want known, or weren't expecting.
You could use hidden weapons, court gossip, cloak-and-dagger skulduggery, or the secrets of the heart.
Flip to get a hit.
//"You don't wanna know" -- Basler
The problem with secrets is keeping track of who knows what. The value of a secret is lost once it's revealed. And some secrets weigh on the conscience.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"Y'see, this gizmo here can automatically pick any lock in the kingdom!" -- Basler
You focus on science, technology, or artifice to get things done.
This could include familiar inventions like handguns or balloons, or magitek such as glowing crystal fire-rods, or products of magic such as alchemical potions.
You can use, repair, or replace your toolkit of inventions.
Flip to get a hit.
//"The gizmo broke and I gotta fix it. Well, at least I have my tools." -- Basler
Nothing works perfectly, especially new inventions that have seen more use than testing.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"The mind directs the body's power. I get it now." -- Basler
Through exercise, mindfulness, and practice, you've learned to use your own mind and body as a tool.
Training lets you fight, move, and act with grace, power, and precision. You can push your own abilities past normal limits, or unlock new ones.
Flip to get a hit.
//"Well, I can't pick locks with my fingernails, can I?" -- Basler
Your discipline is demanding, and while your body is versatile and powerful, it can't compete with everything.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"The world is full of opportunities!" -- Basler
Characters who live by their wits take advantage of the things (and people) around them. They turn difficulty into opportunity, or find a new way to look at a situation.
Wits lets you find solutions within the problem you face, create plans, and know when to abandon those plans.
Flip to get a hit.
//"When I said people were gullible, I didn't mean me too!" -- Basler
No battle plan survives contact with the enemy, but not all planners are humble enough to realize that. Getting by on the world can sometimes mean exploiting people, or seeming like you're doing so.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
Tomorrow beckons, if you can fix today. You can't change the world alone. But you aren't, are you?
Flip to get a hit.
When the gulf between is and ought becomes too much, which will you choose?
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
You feel responsible for something or someone else. Their need propels you.
Flip to get a hit.
You control that which depends on you, and sometimes the weight grows too much.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
Life is unpredictable. When an opening comes, seize it. When a chance comes, take it.
Flip to get a hit.
There's only so much good luck to go around. Will you run out of yours, or take someone else's away?
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
Through actions and words, you entertain, persuade, or transform people around you.
Flip to get a hit.
When anything you say matters, will you say the wrong thing, or for the wrong reasons?
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
A vow, an ideal, a promise, a vision, a mission. Something drives you unstoppably onward.
Flip to get a hit.
That which is greater than you can also crush you beneath it.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
Your power, presentation, reputation, or history cause common folk to fear or reject you.
Flip to get a hit.
To be the worst of what they say you are. How easy to do it accidentally. How tempting to choose it.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
Life is struggle. Everyone has to fight, all the time. What do you fight for?
Flip to get a hit.
Life is pain. There's no reward for this, only the next battle. When will you fall?
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
You create, fix, and remix.
Flip to get a hit.
What or who will you unmake, in your goal of making something new?
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"The clear skies, the lure of the open road, it's perfect!" -- Tana
You've lived your life among people from all over. Maybe you lived in a bustling city, or maybe you traveled the world. You listened to their stories and saw their ways of living.
You've learned to approach situations by understanding many perspectives.
Flip to get a hit.
//"Do these wagon wheels fall off often?" -- Emory
It's possible to mistake your breadth of experience for depth, and fail to hear wiser voices. Similarly, you can make false assumptions about a culture based on experience with a few of its individuals. There's always more to learn. There's always a new perspective.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"Take a deep breath of that farm air!" -- Tana
You grew up among farmers, trappers, city laborers, or other folk who made their way by the sweat of their brow. Others expected you to carry your own weight. Life could be routine, and you learned ways to pass the time.
You've learned to approach situations with direct, hard work.
Flip to get a hit.
//"Smells like cow breakfast" -- Basler
Not everyone appreciates the necessity of hard work. But sometimes, just plowing through isn't the right answer either. You're used to getting down in the mud, but it's important to reach for the stars as well.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"This is all very different from the cloister" -- Emory
You grew up secluded from the rest of the world. Whether you lived on a lonely mountain village, a religious retreat, or in an enclave within a city, the ways of the outside world are a mystery.
You've learned to approach situations through curiosity.
Flip to get a hit.
//"Everything's different out here. That's why it's called a cloister" -- Basler
Your early life didn't prepare you for the sheer variey of people and things the world has to offer. You might make a basic blunder, or ask a troubling question. When in doubt, there might be someone you rely on for answers, or you may rely on your upbringing's incomplete picture of things.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"Welcome to the Labri Market! You can find anything here." -- Basler
You grew up among those who made their living through trade. This could be the busy markets of a city, an oceanic trade route, or the corridors of power in an embassy or castle. You understand that some people have wants or needs, that others can satisfy them, and the power that comes from mediating between the two.
You've learned to approach situations through canny negotiation.
Flip to get a hit.
//"...For the right price." -- Basler
Not everything can be reduced to a simple transaction, but some people can't see any other way. It becomes easy to ignore pain and devalue life when money or power becomes a cocoon against existence.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"I got this, leave me alone" -- Woody
For much of your life, you've been on your own. You might have been orphaned or abandoned or kidnapped. You might have run away from home, or home might no longer exist.
You've learned to approach situations through isolation.
Flip to get a hit.
//"You've left yourself alone too long" -- Tana
Without experiencing what other people in your life can do, you may fear what you need most from them: an outlet. When you act distant, others will reciprocate.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"Knights should be glorious champions of honor!" -- Emory
You knew from a young age that there's a right and wrong way to do things. You might be from a noble family where things are done just so, or your parents might have lived in constant fear of something, and their caution rubbed off on you.
You've learned to approach situations through protocol.
Flip to get a hit.
//"As opposed to ironclad thugs lording it over the peasants?" -- Basler
While committing to a way of life gives you strength to press on, it can make people inflexible or stubborn. Some will reject anything outside their experience, while others will actively fight against it.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"Nobody fights for people like us. So we fight for ourselves." -- Basler
You grew up among people who were neglected or rejected by a surrounding society. Your family or neighbors could have been criminals, migrants, members of a disliked minority or species, or anything else.
You've learned to approach situations via pride.
Flip to get a hit.
//"When everyone hates you, it's hard not to hate them back." -- Basler
Sometimes, circumstances push people to a breaking point. Other times, doing the right thing becomes impossible, and you're left with doing the necessary thing.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
//"As a princess, I had power. As a ranger, I have freedom." -- Woody
Whether you were a scion of privilege, a child wandering the halls of an artisan's guild, or a free spirit roaming a mystic forest, you were accustomed to going where you wished and doing whatever seemed best.
You've learned to approach situations through force of will.
Flip to get a hit.
//"Those who go their own way often find the path lonely." -- Emory
Rules aren't always made to be broken. You can offend others, or even hurt them or yourself when you go where you don't belong or do what you ought not do.
Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.
Cards with this icon are character cards.
To create a new PC, pick three cards from three different categories, e.g. Focus, Role, and Origin. You can choose cards at random, or select them yourself.
These cards describe a PC's most important traits, or the traits that you want to see in the spotlight during the game. Just because someone else has the Courage card doesn't mean your character isn't courageous, only that it's not going to be the quality we see most often or most plainly.
Cards with this icon are character cards.
To create a new PC, pick three cards from three different categories, e.g. Focus, Role, and Origin. You can choose cards at random, or select them yourself.
These cards describe a PC's most important traits, or the traits that you want to see in the spotlight during the game. Just because someone else has the Courage card doesn't mean your character isn't courageous, only that it's not going to be the quality we see most often or most plainly.
You've been affected by injury, delirium, debts, magical curses, or other problems.
You can take a condition to get a hit. Describe how. Players who challenge you can suggest conditions to meet it.
The condition is fictionally true and limits your actions. If you narrate an action the condition would interfere with, you must meet the challenge of the condition in addition to any other challenges.
You can flip a front-side condition to worsen it and get a hit. Describe how.
Clearing conditions takes time. Use this time to drive drama, build the world, or explore how you clear the condition.
Discard any conditions that no longer apply in the fiction.
Flip to see examples
Conditions are a way to achieve success at a cost. You can use conditions in many ways.
Flip to see rules
//"Ow! Watch who you carve up with that thing!" -- Basler
You've been bloodied, bruised, stunned, or suffered some other temporary physical harm.
You can't exert yourself too much without making it worse. Enemies can target existing sites of injury as well.
Do you have access to healing magic and potions, or just bandages and first aid? Who treats your injuries?
Flip to worsen the condition and get a hit. Discard by spending a scene attending to the condition.
//"It's...just a scratch..." -- Emory
You've been seriously injured. You might pass out if you aren't helped soon. Every step is painful, and it's hard to concentrate.
You can't move very fast or fight effectively. Someone might also exploit your condition.
Where do you stay while recuperating? Under whose care? What special measures must be taken? Do you retain scars?
Discard by spending downtime attending to the condition.
//"This forest goes on forever, Woody. Can we just stop a moment?" -- Tana
Your body is trying to keep itself going, but is under attack or is being deprived.
You can't push yourself too hard, and it's hard to concentrate.
Do you need shelter, medicine, food and water, or just sleep? What are your symptoms? Is there anything you take to ease them? Did you hide them to press on?
Flip to worsen the condition and get a hit. Discard by spending a scene attending to the condition.
//"The leaf dragon's toxin got me... Sorry..." -- Woody
Your body is out of resources. You pushed yourself to a breaking point.
You can't fight effectively. Each new step is an effort. Focusing on anything other than survival is difficult.
Where do you recover? At what cost? Do you experience dreams or delirium? What rare ingredient does your medicine require?
Discard by spending downtime attending to the condition.
//"We will deal with the brigands, your highness." -- Emory
You have a heavy responsibility, and someone is watching to make sure you uphold it. There will be consequences if you delay or decline.
Your patron might grow impatient or demand more. Rivals or enemies might interfere. The task might need to be kept secret, lest someone be hurt.
Do you have to fight, haggle, or steal something to make good? Do you end up making new enemies? New friends?
Flip to worsen the condition and get a hit. Discard by spending a scene attending to the condition.
//"I kinda told the thieves' guild I'd take care of something" -- Basler
You have significant debts that demand your time or attention. The stakes may be higher, or just more immediate. You may risk notoriety or condemnation.
Your patron is watching closely and may try to threaten or coerce you further. Other interested parties or powerful forces may interfere, perhaps to stop your task or hurt your patron.
Do you have to lay low, face the heat, go on the run? Who offers a devil's bargain to make this go away?
Discard by spending downtime attending to the condition.
//"I think they saw us." -- Tana
Someone or something powerful or dangerous is seeking you out, and you'd rather not be found.
You risk discovery if you present yourself to guards, spies, or allies. There might be a bounty on you, or hunters after you.
Can you lay low, or do you need to leave the area? Who can you trust, and who would rat you out? What do you sacrifice to keep safe?
Flip to worsen the condition and get a hit. Discard by spending a scene attending to the condition.
//"They definitely saw us!" -- Basler
You are being actively hunted, by someone or something that wishes you ill.
You must stay hidden, disguise yourself when in the open, or take other steps to avoid attention.
Your pursuers might have some idea about your immediate goals, and work to thwart them as well.
What new discoveries does your escape lead you to? How do you change your identity or habits to escape notice? What threatens your sanctuary that's just as dangerous as your pursuers?
Discard by spending downtime attending to the condition.
//"Be careful. If anything in the forest looks edible, it's a faerie trap" -- Woody
A spell or other supernatural power is affecting you. It might cause discomfort, distraction, or inconvenience. Your perceptions might be twisted somehow.
You must be careful when doing things that would set off the spell.
What weird rituals or strange ingredients diminish or slow the effects on you? What obnoxious compulsions or taboos does it force on you? What price must you pay to free yourself?
Flip to worsen the condition and get a hit. Discard by spending a scene attending to the condition.
//"That berry was delicious. Hey, who are all of you?" -- Emory
A powerful and baneful magic has you in its grip. You might be under a geas or other powerful compulsion, to act or not act in a certain way.
The rules of the curse may be a mystery. You may suffer pain or great misfortune violating them.
What quest does lifting the curse entail? What sacrifices or dangers do you brave to undo it? Must someone else pay a price on your behalf?
Discard by spending downtime attending to the condition.
//"Don't let them peck you, or you'll croak with the voice of the Raven God" -- Woody
Powerful magic has physically changed your appearance or abilities. Your new features might be helpful in limited ways, but mostly they're a hindrance.
You'll have trouble doing things you took for granted, or draw attention to yourself if seen.
What's the worst side effect of the change? What mystic ingredient or substance can hold the change at bay, or undo it? Who looks at you funny, and what might they do next?
Flip to worsen the condition and get a hit. Discard by spending a scene attending to the condition.
//"Hey, that raven looks familiar... Basler?!" -- Tana
You've been physically remade into something new by powerful magic. You can still function, but it's a big adjustment.
Other people may react with fear, curiosity, or hostility. You may be unable to speak or explain yourself to them.
Who or what could undo the magic that holds you? What must you do, obtain, or discard to return to your former self? Who now hates or hunts you?
Discard by spending downtime attending to the condition.
//"This is the last of our fresh water." -- Woody
Vital gear has been damaged, or resources are running low.
You might have lost something and been forced to make do. You can't overuse what you have, lest things get worse. You might need to ration what you have.
What have you lost that's hardest to live without? Can you use some ingenuity to get by with whatever's left, or what you can scrounge? Who in the area has a replacement, and what do they want for it?
Flip to worsen the condition and get a hit. Discard by spending a scene attending to the condition.
//"The flood washed away our campsite! Now what?" -- Basler
Your gear has been broken, lost, or taken, or you are out of some important resource.
You must scavenge for substitutes, or make do with barely-adequate improvisations. If you lack basic necessities like food, you must hunt for them soon.
Where must you go to get what you need? Who has it, and what do they demand for it? How do you change habits or tactics to deal with the problems cause by what you lack?
Discard by spending downtime attending to the condition.
//"This arm is useless for drawing a bow right now." -- Woody
Your body, mind, or senses are in temporary disorder. You might have overtaxed yourself, or suffered from injury or stress. You may be in the grip of a powerful or magically-caused emotion.
You will have trouble using affected abilities, making rational decisions, or spotting important clues or danger signs.
Who fixes you up so you can at least keep going? How do they help, and what does it take? What support do you now need from those around you?
Flip to worsen the condition and get a hit. Discard by spending a scene attending to the condition.
//"I can't feel the grimoire! I can't feel ANY magic!" -- Tana
A sense or faculty you normally depend on has been temporarily lost. You might have pushed yourself past a limit, or been affected by a disease or magical effect.
You are unable to use the affected abilities. If your mind or senses are affected, you may make important mistakes in judgement.
What changes for you, physically or emotionally? What new understanding do you gain? Do you try to go back to how you were, or go forward to something new?
Discard by spending downtime attending to the condition.
//"My daggers bounced off that plate mail! What now?" -- Basler
This encounter includes something important that is heavily defended.
This could mean body armor of leather or metal, hardened barriers of stone, or wood, a protective aura of magic, a divine blessing, or something else.
You may be challenged if you try to penetrate or circumvent the armor to get to what's inside.
Something armored may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"You know what metal does? Heats up. Fireball!" -- Tana
Every armor has a weakness or comes at a cost, like making someone slower or something heavier. Some armor has weak spots or is vulnerable to a specific attack. Armor can also suffer if not regularly maintained.
You can confront an Armored obstacle without a challenge if you can find and exploit one of these weaknesses.
Something armored may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"Aheheh.. We come in peace?" -- Basler
The encounter includes a place where creatures stay for a common purpose.
A Base can be a temporary encampment, an outpost, a secret headquarters, a wild animal's den, or some other protected space.
You may be challenged if you try to find something specific in the base, find your way out or through, or confront its occupants and their preparations.
A Base may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"Next time, I'll let my sword do the talking." -- Emory
While Bases can be big and imposing, their nature can work against their occupants.
Tents, side-passages, stacked crates, and many other things can help a character even the odds. Camps have a lot of supplies that can be looted or bargained for.
A Base may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"Back, foul fiend! Light will overcome you!" -- Emory
A Diabolical encounter has the touch of evil. An actual summoned demon, a possessed victim, or a dark and malevolent force are all Diabolic.
You may be challenged if you engage with the Diabolical without proper protections or if you unknowingly encounter its influence.
A Diabolical encounter may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"Basler, stop cringing. He's not talking about you." -- Woody
Evil hasn't won, though it keeps trying. Powers from beyond are bound by their own rules too, and can be defeated accordingly.
Characters who arm themselves with occult lore or divine blessings may circumvent or neutralize a Diabolical power.
A Diabolical encounter may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"Earth sprites. They have the ore we seek." -- Tana
This encounter involves powerful elemental forces. This can mean creatures made of such forces, or dangerous sources like a volcano or a violent storm.
You may be challenged by the raw power of an Elemental threat, or it can cause environmental dangers or obstacles.
An Elemental power may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"They had some nice gemstones too!" -- Basler
The elements represent a complex system with rules that can be exploited.
Each element is usually weak to another element, such as fire being weak to water. Elements are also bound to their natures. Fire needs some sort of fuel to persist, for example.
You can weaken or neutralize an Elemental threat by exploiting its vulnerabilities or using its nature against it.
Elemental threats may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"Did something just swoop overhead?" -- Emory
This encounter includes an important aspect that can fly or is otherwise airborne.
Winged creatures, skilled magicians, and others can fly. Floating platforms, mischievous winds, and more can keep important assets or dangers aloft.
You may be challenged when a flying threat holds your object out of reach, or when you try to affect something in the sky.
Flying threats may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"Meet my best girl, Annette! A net, get it?" -- Basler
Wings require lots of energy to sustain flight, and are often fragile. Magical or elemental sources of flight can be counter-spelled or negated. Turbulent air can thwart flyers, forcing them to ground, where they might be vulnerable.
You may avoid the challenge of a flyer by disturbing its source of flight or forcing it into situations where its flight won't help.
Flying threats may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"They outnumber us 5 to 1, folks!" -- Basler
This encounter includes a group of people or creatures bound together in common purpose.
Gangs can be organized, like criminal gangs or military units, or they can be informal groups, like angry mobs or startled herds of animals.
You may be challenged by a Gang's numerical advantage, or by its planning and influence.
A Gang may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"Sounds like fair odds to me. Have at you!" -- Emory
The strength of a gang is in its numbers. Dealing with individual members can be very different from confronting the gang as a whole.
While an assembled gang acts instinctively, individuals can be made to consider actions more carefully.
You may avoid or circumvent the challenge of a gang by disrupting the group, or by addressing individual members.
A Gang may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"A Gryphon. The heraldic symbol of my kingdom. Majestic!" -- Emory
A Hybrid being is made up of two or more things, not always living.
Such beings can be part-human (mermaids, harpies), mixed animal (cockatrices, pegasi), shapeshifters (werewolves), or weirder (tree-ogres).
A Hybrid may pose a challenge if characters are unfamiliar with the combination.
Hybrid beings may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"That thing was terrifying! Your kingdom is messed up!" -- Basler
Not every hybrid has a perfect command of its own nature. Hybrids must also obey the rules of all their component parts.
A Hybrid may not pose a challenge if the characters exploit its weaknesses.
Hybrid beings may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"The bigger they are, the harder they fall!" -- Tana
This encounter includes something of enormous size. It might be naturally large, like a dragon or a giant, or have been enlarged by magic or other forces.
You may be challenged if you can't overcome your diminutive size relative to a Large threat.
A Large threat may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"Just as long as it doesn't fall on us." -- Basler
You may have trouble engaging with a Large encounter due to the size difference, but that trouble goes both ways. It can be hard for Large things to perceive or target smaller foes.
You may counter the challenge of a Large encounter by exploiting your respective sizes somehow.
A Large threat may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"That ain't no ordinary wolf, folks.." -- Basler
Monstrous threats are altered forms of the familiar. They are fiercer, more feral, or disturbingly unnatural.
The characteristics of a mundane thing become exaggerated and gruesome. Muscles knot and bulge. Jaws elongate and bristle with vicious fangs. Hide thickens and goes patchy. All is as seen through the lens of nightmare.
You may be challenged by a Monstrous threat's adaptations, or by its relentless aggression.
Monstrous threats can:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"Whoever corrupted this creature will pay. Let's press on." -- Woody
A Monstrous threat is powered by its rage or aggression, but those can be its downfall as well.
Monstrous creatures often lack a sense of self-preservation, fighting relentlessly when others would retreat.
You may avoid the challenge of a Monstrous threat by taking advantage of its twisted, feral nature.
Monstrous threats may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"That's Gretamaw, the Beaked Butcher!" -- Basler
This encounter includes someone or something that bards sing about.
A Notorious monster whispered of by fearful villagers. A place of power that most folks avoid. An artifact of legend, replete with arcane power. A person known for great or terrible deeds.
You may be challenged by the weight of Notorious reputation, by those who follow or worship it, or by the very power that made it famous.
Notorious things may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"Save the beak. We need it to claim the reward!" -- Basler
Fame has its price.
If the stories that have gotten around are accurate, you might know how to take on this encounter - maybe.
Sometimes tales are false, and notorious things prove to be very different than you expect.
You may avoid the challenge of a Notorious threat when you correctly leverage its lore, or when you look at it with fresh eyes and discover the truth behind the stories.
Notorious threats may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"Where are all those crows going?" -- Tana
This encounter foreshadows something important. It can be a mystical experience, laden with dreams and prophecy, or just a mundane glimpse into a momentous reality beyond.
Ominous encounters not only foretell change, but confront a character with a question: are you ready for what comes next?
Portentous encounters may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"They're going the same way we are. Come on." -- Woody
The Portentous is the first step on a larger road. It both surprises characters, and prepares them for what is next.
You may avoid the challenge of Portentous encounters by meeting the future they suggest with your eyes open.
Portentous encounters may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"My arrows go right through it." -- Woody
This encounter includes something ghostly or purely spiritual.
Spectral entities might have obligations or passions binding them to the mortal world. They may be frightened, angry, or confused. They might wish to go - or stay.
You may be challenged by a Spectral threat if you can't interact with it, or if its otherworldly nature has dangerous effects.
A Spectral threat may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"I'll have a magic circle up in a moment!" -- Tana
Spectral beings came to the waking world for a reason, whether for mischief, malice, or other needs. The bonds holding them to life are tenuous, and if they're given what they want, or can no longer get it, they might be forced back.
Spectral encounter may not pose a challenge if their objective is obtained, threatened, or destroyed. A Spectral threat may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"Deep breaths. Stay calm. Show them we're friends." -- Tana
The encounter includes a highly charged situation that affects some or all of the beings present.
Maybe someone expects something momentous to happen at any moment. Maybe two or more parties are on the verge of taking drastic action.
You may be challenged to navigate a Tense situation without making it blow up, or losing an important opportunity.
Beings in a Tense situation may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"You mean the real villain all this time was...?!" -- Emory
If you discover the reason for a Tense situation, you can often find ways to diffuse things.
If you don't get caught up in the tension, maybe you can talk the others down, or pacify them.
You may avoid the challenge of a Tense situation by getting all the facts and making careful choices in your approach.
Beings in a Tense situation may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"Don't let it touch you! Your skin will rot away!" -- Woody
This encounter includes something that can poison you.
Venomous creatures, assassins with poisoned blades, swamp gasses, and many other things can afflict you with sickness. Poisons can be fast acting and deadly, or gradually debilitating.
You may be challenged to engage the toxic things without getting infected.
A Toxic threat may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"My arrows can fly farther than its spit." -- Woody
Poison is not selective. It will harm anyone, friend or foe.
Some toxins have antidotes, or may not penetrate some kinds of defense. For example, a snake's fangs might be deflected by armor.
You may avoid the challenge of a Toxic threat if you discover its secrets or thwart its method of delivery.
A Toxic threat may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
//"This unholy abomination will fall!" -- Emory
Necromancy, curses, or strange phenomena can bring a deceased creature back to a false life. The being is sustained by magic, not biology. Some undead are mindless; others are disturbingly cunning. They are frightening reminders of mortality, often endowed with dread powers.
You may be challenged when you confront the undead using the same tactics you would use against mortal foes.
An Undead threat may:
Flip to see ways to meet the encounter's challenges.
//"Not so much fell as fell apart..." -- Basler
Being sustained by dark magic, the undead are equally vulnerable to it.
Many cannot abide holy objects, places, or effects. Others are bound by orders to only guard a certain place, or do a certain thing.
You can avoid the challenge of an Undead threat if you learn what raised them and why, and use that knowledge to outsmart or dispel them.
An Undead threat may:
Flip to see ways the encounter challenges the PCs.
You can choose to draw a card of this type to see if you meet a challenge.
The card will suggest ways in which the challenge was met. You can use one of these, or make up your own.
If a card indicates that you missed, you may not try to meet the challenge in other ways.
A GM or other facilitator may adjust the ratio of hit or miss cards in this stack to reflect the difficulty of a given action.
Draw a random card from this stack
You successfully met the challenge! Narrate how it happened.
Discard to generate a hit
You can choose to draw a card of this type to see if you meet a challenge.
The card will suggest ways in which the challenge was met. You can use one of these, or make up your own.
If a card indicates that you missed, you may not try to meet the challenge in other ways.
A GM or other facilitator may adjust the ratio of hit or miss cards in this stack to reflect the difficulty of a given action.
Draw a random card from this stack
You failed to meet the challenge! Narrate how it happened.
Discard this card
Oracle cards can answer questions. Draw one card for a simple answer, or two cards for a complex one.
Use these cards to answer what someone is feeling, or what emotion a thing or event would spark.
Each emotion has two neighbors. You can use the emotion itself, or choose to mix it with a neighbor.
Flip to reveal an answer
Ecstacy, Joy, or Serenity.
With Vigilance: yields Optimism.
With Admiration: yields Love.
Discard and shuffle into related cards
Oracle cards can answer questions. Draw one card for a simple answer, or two cards for a complex one.
Use these cards to answer what someone is feeling, or what emotion a thing or event would spark.
Each emotion has two neighbors. You can use the emotion itself, or choose to mix it with a neighbor.
Flip to reveal an answer
Admiration, Trust, or Acceptance.
With Ecstacy: yields Love.
With Terror: yields Submission.
Discard and shuffle into related cards
Oracle cards can answer questions. Draw one card for a simple answer, or two cards for a complex one.
Use these cards to answer what someone is feeling, or what emotion a thing or event would spark.
Each emotion has two neighbors. You can use the emotion itself, or choose to mix it with a neighbor.
Flip to reveal an answer
Terror, Fear, or Apprehension.
With Admiration: yields Submission.
With Amazement: yields Awe.
Discard and shuffle into related cards
Oracle cards can answer questions. Draw one card for a simple answer, or two cards for a complex one.
Use these cards to answer what someone is feeling, or what emotion a thing or event would spark.
Each emotion has two neighbors. You can use the emotion itself, or choose to mix it with a neighbor.
Flip to reveal an answer
Amazement, Surprise, or Distraction.
With Terror: yields Awe.
With Grief: yields Disapproval.
Discard and shuffle into related cards
Oracle cards can answer questions. Draw one card for a simple answer, or two cards for a complex one.
Use these cards to answer what someone is feeling, or what emotion a thing or event would spark.
Each emotion has two neighbors. You can use the emotion itself, or choose to mix it with a neighbor.
Flip to reveal an answer
Grief, Sadness, or Pensiveness.
With Amazement: yields Disapproval.
With Loathing: yields Remorse.
Discard and shuffle into related cards
Oracle cards can answer questions. Draw one card for a simple answer, or two cards for a complex one.
Use these cards to answer what someone is feeling, or what emotion a thing or event would spark.
Each emotion has two neighbors. You can use the emotion itself, or choose to mix it with a neighbor.
Flip to reveal an answer
Loathing, Disgust, or Boredom.
With Grief: yields Remorse.
With Rage: yields Contempt.
Discard and shuffle into related cards
Oracle cards can answer questions. Draw one card for a simple answer, or two cards for a complex one.
Use these cards to answer what someone is feeling, or what emotion a thing or event would spark.
Each emotion has two neighbors. You can use the emotion itself, or choose to mix it with a neighbor.
Flip to reveal an answer
Rage, Anger, or Annoyance.
With Loathing: yields Contempt.
With Vigilance: yields Aggressiveness.
Discard and shuffle into related cards
Oracle cards can answer questions. Draw one card for a simple answer, or two cards for a complex one.
Use these cards to answer what someone is feeling, or what emotion a thing or event would spark.
Each emotion has two neighbors. You can use the emotion itself, or choose to mix it with a neighbor.
Flip to reveal an answer
Vigilance, Anticipation, or Interest.
With Rage: yields Aggressiveness.
With Ecstacy: yields Optimism.
Discard and shuffle into related cards
mundane goods and services
Flip to see the unstable version of this dynamic
TBD
Flip to see the stable version of this dynamic
Two neighborhoods are connected via criminal activity. This could range from petty theft or pickpocketing, to smuggling of contraband, to intimidation or murder. Not every criminal is disliked; someone who steals from the rich to give to the poor will be popular among the poor.
A stable Criminal dynamic often means organized crime, such as a cartel, criminal fraternity, thieves' guild, or the like.
Flip to see the unstable version of this dynamic
Two neighborhoods are connected via criminal activity. This could range from petty theft or pickpocketing, to smuggling of contraband, to intimidation or murder. Not every criminal is disliked; someone who steals from the rich to give to the poor will be popular among the poor.
An unstable Criminal dynamic might mean gang war between rival criminal factions. It might also mean a single leader is responsible, and they could be taken down via force or guile.
Flip to see the stable version of this dynamic
People from one neighborhood buy or sell goods and services to the other. Advertising, word of mouth, or tradition might entice new visitors.
A stable Commercial dynamic means there's enough to go around, or that the market is adaptable enough to come up with something new when tastes change.
Flip to see the unstable version of this dynamic
People from one neighborhood in the dynamic buy or sell goods and services to the other. It might be hard to find what you're looking for, however.
An unstable Commercial dynamic indicates a market in flux, such as prices rapidly changing, too much supply, or too little demand. Workers might be in short supply, or customers are drying up.
Flip to see the stable version of this dynamic
arcane goods and services
Flip to see the unstable version of this dynamic
TBD
Flip to see the stable version of this dynamic
activities originating outside the city
Flip to see the unstable version of this dynamic
TBD
Flip to see the stable version of this dynamic
money and valuables
Flip to see the unstable version of this dynamic
TBD
Flip to see the stable version of this dynamic
Two neighborhoods interact via power, influence, and leadership. One might dominate another, depend on another for legitimacy, or prioritize or ignore that neighborhood's needs in particular.
A stable Political dynamic means a long-standing arrangement or an entrenched situation. Enough people, or the right people, like things as they are and work to keep it that way.
Flip to see the unstable version of this dynamic
Two neighborhoods interact via power, influence, and leadership. One might dominate another, depend on another for legitimacy, or prioritize or ignore that neighborhood's needs in particular.
An unstable Political dynamic means the power structure is collapsing, whether due to internal conflicts or outside agitation. Something's going to topple the tower of power, but who will be beneath it when it finally falls?
Flip to see the stable version of this dynamic
Two neighborhoods play off each other via fashion or pop culture.
Flip to see the unstable version of this dynamic
TBD
Flip to see the stable version of this dynamic
A Boulevard is where the city's artistic and aesthetic offerings connect with individual citizens. Shops, eateries, arcades, and more offer visitors chances to spend their money and their time.
A flourishing Boulevard boasts big crowds. The neighborhood attracts tourists and locals alike by offering a variety of sights, sounds, and smells.
Flip to see the struggling version of this neighborhood
A Boulevard is where the city's artistic and aesthetic offerings connect with individual citizens. Something is lacking, whether a supply of attractions to experience or a demand for them from the populace.
A struggling boulevard lacks a healthy crowd of visitors. Whether fallen from former glories, or built around a nucleus of hope and ambition, it's not giving people a reason to come right now.
Flip to see the flourishing version of this neighborhood
A Harbor is the home of trade and travel, to and from the city. It is often a visitor's first introduction to the city. Commercial transports, whether caravans, trains, or zeppelins, are found everywhere here.
A flourishing Harbor is the life and breath of a city. Anything people need or want that isn't obtained locally must be brought from somewhere else, and it all comes through the Harbor.
Flip to see the struggling version of this neighborhood
A Harbor is the home of trade and travel, to and from the city. It is often the last sight a regretful traveler sees before leaving. Commercial transports, whether caravans, trains, or zeppelins, are uncommon or sometimes found in states of neglect.
A struggling Harbor is doing its best to keep the city afloat. Whether conditions are bad here, or whether the city's trading partners have fallen on hard times (or abandoned it), all the neighborhood can do is keep moving whatever's left.
Flip to see the flourishing version of this neighborhood
The Marketplace is the commercial core of the city. It might include a rowdy labyrinth of vendors hawking their wares, a smoke-smothered block of forges and anvils where blacksmiths arm the soldiery. or warehouses full of grain or rice.
A flourishing Marketplace balances supply and demand. The Marketplace produces the bulk of the city's wares, then makes them available to those with money equal to their need. If both seller and buyer exist for something, the Marketplace ensures they will eventually meet.
Flip to see the struggling version of this neighborhood
The Marketplace is the commercial core of the city. The vendors may be few and far between, the fires of the forge may lie extinguished, and farmers' crops may rot in warehouses - or be taken away at insultingly low prices.
A struggling Marketplace lacks either supply or demand. If the wares are not available, or nobody has either the wealth or the interest in obtaining what's there, commerce will wither on the vine.
Flip to see the flourishing version of this neighborhood
The Sanctuary is a city within the city. It might be a walled-off enclave, a culturally distinct community, a gentrified neighborhood, a historical relic, or something else. A sanctuary has its own shops, homes, and infrastructure, enough to sustain its residents and sharing their aesthetic tastes.
A flourishing Sanctuary is self-sufficient. The citizens are healthy and prosperous. The uniqueness of the Sanctuary is maintained and respected.
Flip to see the struggling version of this neighborhood
The Sanctuary is a city within the city. It might be an isolated enclave, a brow-beaten borough, a place to abandon the unwanted, or something else. A sanctuary can barely sustain its residents, whether due to lack of goods or intentional deprivation.
A struggling Sanctuary needs support from outside. The inhabitants might ask for, or demand, or beg for assistance. The uniqueness of the Sanctuary is threatened, or seen as a threat.
Flip to see the flourishing version of this neighborhood
The Temple is devoted to the spiritual and religious elements of the city and its inhabitants. It might be a single colossal church, a network of holy places for every faith, or tiny shrines to tiny gods scattered across the city.
A flourishing Temple attracts a faithful flock. Worshippers come to pray, to donate, and to find their inner selves. Priests, wise men, and perhaps actual spirits may intercede to help troubled souls or provide advice.
Flip to see the struggling version of this neighborhood
The Temple is devoted to the spiritual and religious elements of the city and its inhabitants. It might be a disgraced or amoral mega-church, a collection of squabbling rival churches, or the remnants of an older and forgotten belief system.
A struggling Temple has been abandoned by its flock. The city as a whole might consider faith a dead end or a scam. The priests and leaders may have become corrupt or greedy, or simply have lost faith in their own institutions. If there are real gods, it's even possible they have abandoned the city.
Flip to see the flourishing version of this neighborhood
The Underground is what people don't see about the city. It is actual underground construction, like sewers or burial chambers. It is infrastructure, like aqueducts, that everyone needs but nobody cares about.
A flourishing Underground ensures quality of life for the city's inhabitants. The city's needs, like water and waste, flow where they must.
Flip to see the struggling version of this neighborhood
The Underground is what people don't want to see about the city. It is the filthy waterways and skull-strewn tombs. It is the home of the city's underprivileged and forgotten.
A struggling Underground has been abandoned or is being misused. It might provide hideouts for violent criminals, or prove dangerous to visitors through mere neglect.
Flip to see the flourishing version of this neighborhood
Uptown is the city's crown. It is home to the elite, including skilled creators, wealthy merchants, influential politicians, and beloved performers. Visitors might beseech an Uptown resident to fund their ventures, or seek their attention for some new idea or creation.
A flourishing Uptown can exert its will, for good or ill, on the surrounding city. They say "power is where you say it is", and the city says that social power lives here.
Flip to see the struggling version of this neighborhood
Uptown is the city's fallen crown. Bourgeoisie merchants with pretentions to greatness, shabby aristocrats fallen from favor, or forgotten influencers might all be found here.
A struggling Uptown is a hollow vessel once filled with power, or a puppet dancing on someone else's strings. Residents might uphold the veneer out of pride, or dream of ways to reclaim real glory.
Flip to see the flourishing version of this neighborhood
The Warren is the hidden heart of the city. It is an organic tangle of alleyways, residences, nameless shops, side streets, historical buildings, and more. It is what the city does with itself when no one is looking.
A flourishing Warren keeps the city's heart beating. The things that make the city unique, such as its culture, tastes, and trends, emerge from here unannounced. The city's history is likewise on display for curious visitors.
Flip to see the struggling version of this neighborhood
The Warren is the hidden heart of the city. It is an impenetrable maze of dark alleys, boarded-up shops, narrow streets, ancient graveyards, and more. It is the city's secret suffering.
A struggling Warren is the city's surrender to despair. Strangers receive furtive looks when they visit this neighborhood, and long-time residents talk wistfully or bitterly about "the way things used to be".
Flip to see the flourishing version of this neighborhood