Under Fantastic Skies System

This system is being playtested in the Barony of Valcaryn game.

Character Generation

Select A Character Concept

Work with the GM to come up with a good character concept for the campaign they are running. This can be fairly loose, and then be altered as you develop the character mechanically.

Select a Character Point Distribution

There are ten possible point distributions to pick from. Pick one that sounds like it fits your character concept.

See Character Point Distributions

Select Background Packages

This is technically optional, a player may select their assets freeform if they like. But selecting packages may be evocative, however, and create a backstory for the character in the process. Note that all of the packages are notional, and may be changed, with the player swapping out any assets on the list for any similar sort of asset. Note, too, that backgrounds do not have to be set in some chronological order, many will overlap with each other.

See Background Packages

Resolution

Largely inspired by Levi Kornelsen's resolution system Schema along with deck resolution mechanics by Dave Michalak

Overview

When a conflict begins, the player whose character is involved builds a deck comprised of one card per asset level that they bring to bear, drawn randomly and secretly from the “benefits deck,” to which GM adds cards from the “danger deck,” the number of which are based on how dangerous the situation is rated. Once built, the player then draws a number of cards each round of resolution, and resolve all of the drawn cards. The player and the opposition player should narrate the their interpretation of the results of the draw. The player may then proceed to another round, or declare the resolution to be complete.

Pace

The pace of a conflict is decided by the GM, but is normally 3, unless the characters involved are all agreeing to go much more cautiously or recklessly than normal, and the situation would allow for this. This determines how many cards will be drawn from the resolution deck each round, though this may vary due to some cards drawn.

If the resolution deck is depleted when drawing, put the discarded cards back into their respective decks, and then draw up a new resolution deck using the same method as the first deck was drawn up, and continue drawing from the new deck until a number of cards equal to the pace has been drawn for the round.

*Alternate rule to try: If not enough cards can be drawn, treat this as if an Interrupt card has been drawn.

PvP

If more than one PC is involved in a conflict, they each draw up a deck in the same fashion. The GM will determine the number of Danger cards to add to each deck based not on the quality of the opponents, but on other external factors that make the situation dangerous… it's possible that the GM will add no dangers to reflect that the only danger in the situation comes from the opponents inflicting consequences on each other, or preventing each other from reaching their goals.

Card Types

Below are the various cards that are in each of the decks.

Benefit Deck Card Types

When any benefit card type is drawn that is not an Advance, if the player chooses to use any of it's functions instead of turning it into an Advance (which costs one energy), the player gains one Fate.

Boon Card

Something good happens to the character that is not a result of them gaining position towards a goal. Examples may include the following, but note that if these are the goal, then they are not options for a boon card:

Effects you are creating last longer

You make an Impression on an observer

You note something (often about the opposition or the difficulties being overcome)

You are doing things faster than expected

Your actions are subtle, and observers may not be able to discern what you are doing

Position

The character takes a stride that positions them more favorably towards a goal. Place the card in front of the player to represent this advanced position. Fictional descriptions of multiple position cards can be narrated as the position being advanced further, or an advance being made along an alternate axis. Alternatively, use this card to discard any other position card in play.

Cement/Position

Change a number of position cards along one axis of advance into a fictional effect. This creates a rating for the character (usually a positive trait or resource) or their opposition (usually a negative condition). May be played as a position card if no position cards are available (turn position side up relative to the player to indicate this). The card may be held and not played, instead waiting for more position cards to be drawn, so that they, too may be cemented with the other drawn cards. To indicate this place the card with the cement side up.

*Playtest: play either end at player's option? Or only play position when no positions are available?

Caution

Caution cards are not put into the deck, but are kept in the player's tableau. They can be played to discard dangers drawn.

Danger Card Types

Complications

Something bad happens that is not a usual consequenece of this sort of conflict.

Chaos Erupts

Things are taking longer than expected

Something (you, your target, or your aim) winds up somewhere other than planned.

A gear or resource asset you have is broken or lost or used up entirely. If a resource was in use in the conflict as part of the resolution, that is likely the resource lost.

A new threat appears! Add danger cards to the deck to represent the new danger, and reshuffle.

Something odd or unpredictable happens, which is a detriment. When relatively wild assets like magic or untested technology are being employed, the strangeness will usually be as a result of the asset behaving outside normal parameters.

The conflict is getting away from the character, and they are not able to quit it.

Danger

The character's position gets more precarious. Describe the worsening position, and place this card in the danger tableau.

Consequence/Position

The character gains one level of a Consequence for each Dangerous Position in play. If the consequence is dangerous in the context of the current conflict, add one danger card to the deck per level of the consequence and reshuffle. Future consequences in the same conflict are likely to exacerbate (add levels to) the original Consequence if drawn in the same conflict. But not if the fiction makes this seem unlikely, in which case a new consequence is generated.

Exhaustion

Immediately play one Vim, or end the conflict on this draw.

Interruption

Something happens to cause the conflict to cease immediately, and it cannot resume until the interruption can be dealt with.

Goal Resolution

Orthogonal Goals

If the goals of each side are opposing and mutually exclusive (it's not possible for both to happen), then this is an orthogonal goal. This will be the case most of the time. In this case, the goals are achieved when one side can create a complication or cement an asset to represent the goal being met. If both sides manage to do this at the same time, then the smaller is subtracted from the larger goal, and the remainder of the larger shows the magnitude of the asset.

Parallel Goals

If both sides are able to accomplish their goals, then it's possible both sides manage to accomplish their goals, and each gets them if they have accomplished them before the conflict ends.

Other Deck Building Options

Preparation and Aid

Gain cards to be added to the resolution deck associated with the resolution for which preparations are being made. Occasionally a contest may be required to gain the cards.

Pushing

A character may attempt to do better by pushing hard to get it done. Add one benefit card to the deck, and one Exhaustion card to the deck.

Recklessness

A character may approach the contest recklessly. They may add up to three benefit cards, and for each they add, the opposition adds two danger cards.

Taking Care

Players may elect to take any of their cards as Caution cards and set these aside. These are played to cancel Danger deck cards. Note this limits how much the character may be able to produce cards to cement their goals.

Failure

There is no failure card, a character fails to get their goal if the conflict ends before they get the goal (which can be due to an interruption, or the player calling for an end to the conflict).

Temporary Assets

When position is cemented, it is turned into a temporary asset equal to the level of the position cards cemented. Temporary assets may be cemented into permanent assets with another contest.