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."

Continue reading:

"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!"

When another player narrates a PC's action, such as "I attack the ogre", you can ask "what if...?" You must propose an interesting alternative outcome, such as "what if the ogre smashes you across the room?"

If anyone else in the group accepts the What If, and no player vetoes it, the original player must get a Hit for their narration to prevail. They can also opt to accept the What If.

What Ifs can pre-empt the action ("your attack doesn't land, the ogre smashes you") or add to it ("your attack lands, and the ogre counters").

Other players can suggest ways to build on the What If, or propose their own alternatives. Only one What If can prevail.

Use What Ifs to make characters work overcome threats, or introduce complications to their actions. What Ifs can pre-empt the original action, or add an outcome after it finishes.

What If...

• A Condition card you took would interfere with your action?
• The risks inherent in some difficult or complex action come into play?
• A new danger appears, or an existing danger is escalated?
• It seems dramatically appropriate for a thing to happen?

To create a new PC, pick three cards: Focus, Role, and Origin. You can choose cards at random, or select them yourself.

These cards describe the traits that you want to 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 you're focusing on.

• Front: get a Hit by flipping the card
• Back: flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone

To create a new PC, pick three cards: Focus, Role, and Origin. You can choose cards at random, or select them yourself.

These cards describe the traits that you want to 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 you're focusing on.

• Front: get a Hit by flipping the card
• Back: flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone

You can take a condition to get a Hit. Describe how. You can flip a front-side condition to worsen it and get a Hit. Describe how. Players who pose a What If can suggest a Condition that would meet it.

The condition is fictionally true and limits your actions. Other players can should ask What If when a condition would interfere with something you do. Discard any conditions that no longer apply in the fiction.

Individual condition cards describe how to clear them.

Conditions are a way to achieve success at a cost.

• You take Disarmed to score a final sword blow
• Another player suggests that touching the idol will leave you Magicked
• Take Weakened to stay within the poison cloud
• You're already Hurt, but you can worsen it to Wounded to launch a final desperate attack
• Spend a scene being healed by a priestess to discard Hurt, or a week of downtime doing odd jobs to discard Indebted