You are your skills.
Your seven core skills are Agility, Fortitude, Immunity, Intellect, Might, Perception, and Subtlety. You start with 6 of the 7; the one you lack is your weakness.
Other skills are possessed only by some.
Skills simulate your prowess in consequential actions. They do not exist to forbid action. You can attempt any action defined under any skill even if you have no levels in it. All skills range from 0 to 12. If you don’t have a skill, you really have level 0 in it.
If an action isn’t defined by a skill, it requires no skill roll. As such, rolls shouldn’t be made unless defined by a skill, and the Bookkeeper won’t require you roll for actions not defined by one.
roll only when something is at stake.
If you attempt an action wherein success is questionable, roll 1d12. If the roll yields double digits (10+) you succeed. If not, you fail. Failure can carry consequences.
If you have it, add the skill that defines your attempted action to the roll, increasing your chance of success.
Circumstances or items can modify a roll. Positive modifiers are bonuses. Negative ones are penalties. Add them to the roll after adding your skill.
Exploit edges to get bonuses in combat.
Stress kills you.
Stress represents your physiological proximity to death. Stresses include Weary, Wound, Bleed, Chilly, and Stun.
At 13 stress, you die.
Every 3 stress, you gain 1 malus. Malus is a penalty to all d12 rolls.
Eat, rest, and indulge to heal stresses and gain comfort.
Time matters.
Time lost undertaking actions requires you choose them carefully, especially in dangerous circumstances.
Time passes as a succession of rounds. Every round, you get to act. Once everyone has acted, the next round begins. Round length varies by timescale. The Bookkeeper will track time’s passage.
Timescales
Your state of endangerment determines the timescale of play. The three timescales are:
- Peacetime = 1 hour rounds
- Danger = 10 minute rounds
- Peril = 3 second rounds
The Bookkeeper will announce when timescales change.
Sessions survived
Play is measured in sessions. At the end of every session, increase your sessions survived score by 1 and receive a quantity of XP based on your accomplishments. Spend XP to improve your skills and gain virtues.