FATE of HARN ON A 4 PAGES 1 GOLDEN RULE Decide what you’re trying to accomplish first, then consult the rules/skills to help you do it.

SILVER RULE Never let the rules get in the way of what makes narrative sense. BRONZE RULE You can treat anything in the game world like it’s a character (e.g. organisation, devices, animals, monsters, place etc.)

FATE POINTS Fate points can be spent to: INVOKE an ASPECT; POWER some STUNTs (others are free); BUY-OFF a COMPEL; DECLARE a story detail. Fate Points can be earned by: ACCEPTING a COMPEL which is having an ASPECT INVOKED against you; or CONCEDING in a conflict.

REFRESH FATE POINTS carry over between sessions but the REFRESH is the minimum number a character starts a new session with. ASPECT An aspect is an important defining characteristic of a character, organisation, devices, animals, monsters, place, etc.

COMPEL Anyone can offer a player a FATE POINT in return for having an ASPECT cause their character a problem: EXPLAIN why the aspect is relevant; NEGOTIATE the nature of the problem; then either, ACCEPT THE FATE POINT and play through the problem, or, PAY A FATE POINT to avoid the compel and its problem.

INVOKE After a skill roll, EXPLAIN why the aspect is relevant, SPEND a FATE POINT (unless granted a FREE INVOKE) and CHOOSE EITHER: +2 to current skill roll; re-roll current skill roll; or force someone to OVERCOME vs. a passive +2 obstacle representing the aspect. An aspect can only be invoked once on any roll but different ASPECTS can be invoked on the same roll.

DECLARE a detail SPEND a Fate Point, justify the narrative detail by relating it to an ASPECT, negotiate with the GM, who has a veto!

FREE INVOKE No Fate Point Cost and they can be stacked with other FREE INVOKES or INVOKES. FREE INVOKES can be passed to another character to exploit so the team can stack up a series of INVOKES that set up the killing blow!

BOOST Transient aspect that goes away once INVOKED, and usually by the end of a scene. A BOOST can be passed to someone else for set-ups.

STUNTS A STUNT is a special trait a character has that changes the way a skill works for him. Stunts indicate some special, privileged way a character uses a skill that is unique to whoever has that stunt.

SKILLS Skills are rated from Terrible (-2) to Legendary (+8). PC skills are limited to Superb (+5)

SHIFTS The difference between your and your opponents roll of 4xFate Dice (+bonuses for ASPECTS/BOOSTS/STUNTS/SITIUATION etc.) are called SHIFTS. More SHIFTS = Greater level of success (or failure if you are on the receiving end!)

Getting things done:

CHALLENGES

An especially complicated or dynamic obstacle requiring a series of PASSIVE OVERCOME actions to resolve. E.g. picking a lock. The CHALLENGE may require different skills to be used in sequence or the same skill to be used more than once. BOOSTS or free INVOKES from one skill roll may be carried forward if they applicable to the subsequent skill roll.

Getting things done: CONTESTS

Two or more characters with mutually exclusive goals, ‘competing’ against one another, but NOT trying to harm one another. E.g. A race. The CONTEST could be between the same skills or different skills, depending on the situation. It is made up of a series of EXCHANGES during which each participant makes a skill roll to determine how well they do. Whoever gets the most SHIFTS in an exchange gains 1 VICTORY (Success by 3+ SHIFTS gains 2 victories) and the first character to 3 victories wins. Ties: no one gains a victory but an unexpected twist means a disadvantageous ASPECT is created that could affect them all. Characters can try to CREATE an ADVANTAGE BEFORE they make a CONTEST roll, but Failure means their CONTEST roll is forfeit! A character can decide to ATTACK during a CONTEST in which case the CONTEST usually ends and a CONFLICT begins.

Getting things done: CONFLICTS

Characters with the intent and the ability to harm one another are in a CONFLICT. Physical Conflict leads to stress in the form of bruises, cuts etc.; Mental Conflict to stress in the form of loss of confidence, self-esteem. Any HITS taken cause the recipient to be TAKEN OUT unless they absorbed by STRESS or CONSEQUENCES instead.

MOVEMENT A character can always choose to move one zone in addition to taking an action. Moving more zones, or one zone with an aspect that makes it difficult going, requires an ATHLETICS (or perhaps some other) OVERCOME action. Failure grants opposition a BOOST.

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ZONES A ZONE is an abstract representation of physical space. The best definition of a Zone is that it’s close enough that you can interact directly with someone (in other words, walk up to and punch them in the face). A ZONE could be a room or a clearing.

SKILL ACTIONS OVERCOME: CREATE ADVANTAGE (opposition might be active): ATTACK/DEFEND Roll 4 x Fate Dice

+ any bonuses Against Passive or Active

opposition To create (or discovering) a

new aspect To benefit from an existing (or

known) aspect To cause stress or consequence

and defend against it

Fail by 3+ SHIFTS Fail, or Succeed at a SERIOUS COST (e.g. a BOOST plus free

invoke to the opposition)

Fail, or Succeed in a way that ALSO benefits the opposition, and MIGHT disadvantage the

character

Fail and give a free INVOKE on the existing ASPECT

to the opposition

No harm to Defender who also gains a BOOST

Fail by 1-2 SHIFTS No harm to Defender

Tie Succeed at a MINOR COST (e.g. a BOOST to the opposition)

Succeed and gain a BOOST plus free INVOKE Succeed and gain a free INVOKE

on the ASPECT

No harm to Defender but Attacker gains a BOOST

Succeed by 1-2 SHIFTS Succeed and achieve goal Succeed and gain a free INVOKE

on the ASPECT Defender suffers HITS equal to

SHIFTS

Succeed by 3+ SHIFTS

Succeed and achieve goal plus gain a BOOST in doing so

Succeed and gain 2 free INVOKES on the new ASPECT

Succeed and gain 2 free INVOKES on the ASPECT

Defender suffers HITS equal to SHIFTS (Attacker may trade

some HITS for BOOSTS)

TURN ORDER ATTACKS are launched in order from highest NOTICE (or EMPATHY for mental/social/emotional), with ATHLETICS, then PHYSIQUE (and RAPPORT, then WILL, for mental/social/emotional) being used to break ties.

Nature of Attack Attack Skill (Stunt) Defence Skill (Stunt) Effect on … Mental/Social/ Emotional Skill

Attacks

Contacts(Destroy Reputation) Will or Contacts Mental Stress Track Deceit(Mind Games) Will or Intimidation

Intimidation Will or Intimidation or Scholar(Shield of Reason)

Physical Skill Attacks

Athletics(Body Check) Athletics

Physical Stress Track

Melee Athletics or Melee or Intimidation(Armour of Fear)/Physique (Take the Blow) Missile Athletics or Stealth(Slippery Target) Notice(Reactive Shot) Athletics Ride(Charge!) Ride Stealth(Hidden Blade) Notice

Shek P’var Skills (Spell casting)

Create/Make or Destroy/ Disperse or Learn/Perceive

The skill (which could be the opponent’s Shek P’var skill) depends on whether the intention of the attacker is to do Physical or Mental harm and how the target is trying to avoid it. Use the list above as a guide.

Depends on Shek’P’var intent

Strain of Spell Casting

Caster always takes 1 point of Mental Stress, and …

Fail (by 3+): Succeed but take a CONSEQUENCE

Fail or Tie: Succeed but take 1 MENTAL STRESS HIT

Succeed: Succeed + 1 free INVOKE

Succeed with Style: Succeed + 2 free INVOKES

FULL DEFENCE Give up the option to use an ATTACK action in this turn BUT GAIN +2 to the DEFEND action against opponents attacks.

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TEAMWORK Setting up the Opponent: Character A, B, C etc. create advantages which they stack up to help Character Z succeed with ease!. Combining Skills: The Character with the highest skill takes the action but every other Character with a relevant skill adds +1 to the roll.

MOBS Multiple NPCs can be treated as a single MOB with their individual Skills and Stress Boxes added together onto a single character sheet. MULTIPLE TARGETS

AREA EFFECTS: e.g. real or arcane explosions, gas clouds, Intimidating a mob, influencing a crowd with Rapport. Either: create an advantage in the scene, rather than on a specific target, Or: divide the total SHIFTS between targets in the area, each of which defends against their portion of the success.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

Treat an environmental condition, a natural disaster, a cunning mechanical or magical trap etc. as a character. (The Bronze Rule of Fate). If the Hazard is intended: to distract - then let it create (dis)advantages; to do harm - give it a skill level with which to attack (or defend); act independently - give it the perception and mobility of a character. The resilience of the Hazard may mean it has Stress Boxes &/or Consequences which must be eroded before it’s ‘safe’.

DEADLINE PRESSURE

Challenges or Contests take advantage of deadline pressure by limiting the number of rolls that a player can make. Failure can erode more time and reduce the number of rolls available when using the “Success at a Cost” option. Likewise, “Success with Style” can reduce the amount of time it takes to do something when the PCs are under time pressure.

TIME INCREMENTS

Instant - A few moments - Half a minute - A minute - A few minutes - 15 minutes - Half an hour - An hour - A few hours - An afternoon - A day - A few days - A week - A few weeks - A month - A few months - A season - Half a year - A year - A few years - A decade - A lifetime

WEAPONS & ARMOUR

If the value of the attacking weapon exceeds the armour value of the target, then ADD 1 HIT caused by a successful ATTACK. If armour exceeds weapon, then REDUCE HITS by 1. A player can choose to ABSORB 1 HIT by taking damage to Armour/Shield, which reduces its value for the rest of the SESSION or until successfully repaired using CRAFTS to OVERCOME +4 passive resistance.

STRESS

STRESS is short lived. It is removed once there’s a chance to draw breath/regain composure, usually by the start of next scene. • 1 HIT can be absorbed by crossing off a STRESS 1 box • 2 HITs can be absorbed by crossing off a STRESS 2 box Characters with ENDURANCE or WILL skills gain additional STRESS boxes that can absorb 3 or 4 HITs. If the amount of stress inflicted exceeds the value of a stress box it is ‘rolled up’ into the next stress box, and the next if is still exceeds the value, until it causes a Consequence!

CONSEQUENCES CONSEQUENCES can also absorb HITS, but are longer lasting NEGATIVE ASPECTS that DO NOT usually recover between scenes. They can be INVOKED/COMPELLED until the character has spent enough time RECOVERING. 1, 2 or 3 HITs can be absorbed by taking a Mild, Serious and Grievous CONSEQUENCE, respectively.

RECOVERING

CONSEQUENCES remain in place until: • A sufficiently calm environment allows treatment in the form of a relevant OVERCOME ACTION is successful (against the +2, +4

or +6 passive resistance of the CONSEQUENCE; +2 if the character is treating themselves rather than being treated by another). • A Mild CONSEQUENCE presents +2 passive resistance and remains in place for a whole scene after successful treatment; • A Serious CONSEQUENCE presents +4 passive resistance and remains in place for a whole session after successful treatment; • A Grievous CONSEQUENCE presents +6 passive resistance and remains in place for a whole scenario after successful treatment.

A character COULD take an CRIPPLING CONSEQUENCE which can absorb 4 HITs but this requires the player to replace an existing ASPECT with the EXTREME CONSEQUENCE which remains in place until a MAJOR MILESTONE allows it to be removed.

CONCEDING A CONFLICT can be interrupted at any time by CONCEDING. The character’s part in the current scene is over leaving the victors with an advantage. The character gains a FATE POINT + 1 FP per consequence taken and negotiates with the GM how they escaped with their life/discretely withdrew. The GM has final say so this isn’t always a get out of jail free card, and will cost them something.

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TAKEN OUT Once ALL STRESS and CONSEQUENCE slots are filled then another HIT means the character is out of the fight and the victorious opponent narrates what happens! This will be worse than CONCEDING!

GAME TIME

Exchange: The amount of time it takes all participants in a conflict to take a turn, which includes doing an action and responding to any action taken against them. A few minutes. Scene: The amount of time it takes to resolve a conflict, deal with a single prominent situation, or accomplish a goal. Scenes vary in length, from a few minutes to an hour. Session: The sum total of all the scenes run in a single sitting: from an hour to a week. Constitutes a MINOR MILESTONE. Scenario: One or more sessions of play, but usually no more than four. Most of the time, the sessions that make up a scenario will definitively resolve some kind of problem or dilemma presented by the GM, or wrap up a storyline. From a few days to a few weeks or a season. Constitutes a SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE. Arc: A number of scenarios culminating in an event that brings change to the game world. Constitutes a MAJOR MILESTONE.

CHARACTER MINOR

MILESTONES

Occur at the end of a session, or when one piece of a story has been resolved. During a minor milestone, choose from: • Switch the rank values of any two skills, or replace one Average skill with one that isn’t on the sheet; OR • Change any single stunt for another stunt; OR • Purchase a new stunt, provided there’s have the REFRESH to do so. (Remember, REFRESH can’t be less than 1) ; OR • Rename one ASPECT that isn’t the HIGH CONCEPT or TROUBLE. PLUS … Mark any moderate consequences as ‘recovering’ so long as they have been treated.

CHARACTER SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES

Occur at the end of a scenario or the conclusion of a big plot event (or, at the end of every two or three sessions): • Gain one additional skill point, which can be spent to buy a new skill or increase an existing skill by one level; BUT no character can

have more skills at any rank than at the rank below it. The Pyramid must be maintained. PLUS Mark any severe consequences as ‘recovering’ so long as they have been treated.

CHARACTER MAJOR

MILESTONES

Occur at the end of a story arc (or around three scenarios), when a main NPC villain dies, or with any other large-scale change. • Gain the benefits of a MINOR and SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE; AND • Gain an additional point of REFRESH, which can be used to buy a NEW STUNT or left as a higher REFRESH; AND • May rename the character’s HIGH CONCEPT or TROUBLE. PLUS Mark any extreme consequences as ‘recovering’ so long as they have been treated.