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Appendix B: Quick Reference Card

CORE MECHANIC:

  1. Frame action as closed question
  2. Build dice pool: 1 Action Die + Chance Dice - Risk Dice
  3. Roll the pool, keep highest die
  4. Resolve outcome (1=No and..., 2=No, 3=No but, 4=Yes but, 5=Yes, 6=Yes and...)
  5. Describe result in fiction

DICE OUTCOMES:

Roll Outcome
6 Yes, and... +1 to result
5 Yes... Success
4 Yes, but... Success w/ complication
3 No, but... Failure w/ benefit
2 No... Failure
1 No, and... -1 to result

ZONE MODIFIERS (Base):

  • Day Side: +2 Risk Dice
  • Twilight Belt: None
  • Night Side: +1 Risk Die

PSYCHIC ABILITIES:

  • Weather Working: Manipulate winds and storms
  • Thermal Sense: Perceive heat signatures
  • Deep Bonding: Connect with native life
  • Shadow Walking: Navigate in darkness
  • Water Finding: Locate water sources

PROGRESSION LEVELS:

  • Novice: Basic capability
  • Adept: Enhanced control and range
  • Master: Legendary mastery and cost

PSYCHIC ABILITY COSTS:

  • Weather Working → Psychically Drained
  • Thermal Sense → Overwhelmed by Thermal Noise
  • Deep Bonding → Grief-Struck (on loss)
  • Shadow Walking → Disoriented
  • Water Finding → Resonance-Overwhelmed

CONDITIONS (Examples): Injured, Exhausted, Frightened, Psychically Drained, Overheating, Disoriented, Grief-Struck

CHARACTER TAGS:

  1. Concept (role/identity)
  2. Skills (expertise) — 3 total
  3. Frailty (vulnerability)
  4. Gear (equipment) — 2 total
  5. Goal (ambition)
  6. Motive (why)
  7. Nemesis (opposition)
  8. Relationships (2 with other characters)

SETTLEMENT RESOURCE STATUS: Water: Abundant / Adequate / Rationing / Crisis Power: Full Grid / Adequate / Blackouts / Failure Provisions: Well-Supplied / Adequate / Low / Critical

DICE POOL MODIFIERS:

  • Chance Die (+): Helpful Skill, favorable Gear, beneficial environment, ally help
  • Risk Die (-): Opposing Skill, environmental hazard, Frailty applies, enemy opposition

WHEN TO ROLL: Roll when: outcome is uncertain + failure has interesting consequences + success isn't guaranteed Don't roll when: automatic success + automatic failure + outcome doesn't matter

SAFETY TOOLS:

  • Before play: CATS (Concept, Aim, Tone, Subject Matter)
  • During play: Script Change (pause and adjust immediately)
  • Emergent: Lines & Veils (stated when they come up)

CONFLICT RESOLUTION:

  • Zoom Out: Single question resolves entire scene
  • Zoom In: Multiple questions for detailed conflict

ADVANCEMENT:

  • No XP or levels
  • Characters evolve through fiction
  • Update Tags when story changes them
  • Skills deepen, Frailties transform, Goals are achieved/replaced, Relationships shift
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