Core Resolution

If the players and referee agree the outcome of an action is uncertain, roll a stat check. The referee has the final say.

Checks have no difficulty modifiers – more difficult actions just have harsher consequences for failure. These should be communicated clearly before the roll.

Preparations, skills, backgrounds, abilities, etc may mean a roll is unnecessary, or lessen the consequences of failure.

To succeed on a stat check, roll 1d20 less than or equal to the stat, but above your fatigue.

Each character has four stats:

• Hardiness
• Courage
• Reflexes
• Focus
• Luck

Social Contests

If the players and referee agree the outcome of a social interaction is uncertain, it is resolved with a social contest.

Each contest is assigned a difficulty score from 1 to 5. 1 might be a small favor and 5 a life-changing (but attainable) deal. The difficulty score defines the number of successful arguments necessary to win the contest outright.

Each argument made by a player character has x-in-6 odds of success. If one character makes multiple arguments, they may pick the better result. Odds are assigned on the fly, with the following as a guide:

• +1/-1 if the PC made a good/bad impression
• +2/-2 if the PC is a trusted friend/known rival of the NPC
• +1/-1 if the PC is a family relation on good/bad terms
• +2/-2 if the PC is a close family relation on good/bad terms
• +1 to +3 if the argument includes a benefit for the NPC
• -1 to -3 if the argument includes a detriment for the NPC

Failed arguments can bring setbacks.

If the PC’s win the contest but have accrued failures, the NPC might require some sort of favor in return. More failures means a larger favor.

If the PC’s lose the contest, the NPC might react badly – throwing them off the premises, threatening them, or even attacking them. More failures mean a worse reaction.

Fighting

Combat is resolved simultaneously – no initiative.

The referee will describe what it looks like the enemies might do, and then the players declare their actions – each character can do one thing per round. Actions are resolved simultaneously, in clusters by location. Since actions in combat are often under more pressure and accompanied by higher stakes, they are more likely to require a roll.

Attacks are made with a relevant stat check. If successful, a damage die is rolled.

Armor has an Armor Value (AV). AV[X] blocks any damage die that come up as X.

When combat is over, any characters with negative HP make a wound roll, modified by their HP – the further negative you go, the worse it gets.

Advancement

Earn 1xp whenever:

• You play in a session
• You complete a journey
• You complete a preparation for the trial

Spend 2xp to test a stat. Roll 3d6 – if the result is higher than the stat, increase it by 1.

Spend 3xp to remember something useful from the night of the murder. This is done collaboratively with the referee.