Deliberation
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Cooperative Deliberation The referee is the final arbiter for details in the game world, but not the sole source of information. They can and should defer some details to the players, especially players who aren't directly involved in the current event. When you asks a question, the referee may have a different player answer it, or a part of it. The referee may answer with a different question that you have to answer. If an answer is inappropriate the referee can overrule it, but as much as possible your answers stand. The result adds a layer of surprise and fun for the referee as well, and can memorably affect game outcomes.
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Most game play is a free form discussion between the referee and the players. The referee determines and describes the state of the world, and the denizens who inhabit it. Players ask questions about what they perceive about the world or describe how their characters act upon it.
- Referee: "The inn is loud and raucous, filled with rough looking characters drinking wine and eating hearty meals. There looks to be a tea house in town as well, more refined but also more expensive. What would you like to do?"
- Player: "What's the name of the inn?"
- Referee: "There's no sign, but a passerby will tell you it's called the Beast Turtle's Den."
- Player: "With a name like that, I'm definitely stopping there."
- Referee: "Excellent. The food smells passable, and there's plenty of wine. How would you like to make your entrance?"
- Player: "What do you mean?"
- Referee: "Do you want to try to slip in without gaining any attention, bluster to the crowd about how tough you are and that you should get the best seat? Anything like that."
- Player: "Oh, nothing fancy. I'll just sit down at an empty table, and maybe scan the crowd to see if anyone looks interesting."
- Rules: One of the uses for a sense check is perception. The referee notes this and asks the player to roll a check against sense. The check succeeds.
- Referee: "Four men at a different table are armed. They could be Valiant, but more likely they are bandits who live nearby and ply their trade on the roads away from town. Against the far wall is a lone man with a scar over one eye and a large, exquisite looking sword slung across his back. He appears to be appraising you as well."
- Player: "I'll give him a slight nod and then wave someone over to take my order."
- Referee: "He nods back, and goes back to drinking. It looks like the only server is a young woman, either the owner or likely the daughter of the owner. She sees your wave and heads your direction, but before she arrives she's grabbed by one of the four armed men as she passes their table. He says something rude to her and his fellows laugh heartily. What do you do?"
The rules only enter deliberation when needed, and help set common expectations for both the players and the referee for likely consequences of different actions. Checks and complications add an element of suspense.
The referee is the final arbiter, but feel free to negotiate your actions and their results. Be explicit about what you want to happen on a success, or offer alternatives for a failure. If you think a different skill or attribute would work for a check, explain why. Such additions paints a better picture for the referee and the other players, and can often lead to style bonuses.
Ask questions. The referee won’t fill in every detail, only the ones that seem most relevant. The answers to your questions can create entirely new options. You can describe what your character says, or just say it. There’s no best way to do it, just what is more comfortable and fun for you.
Four game modes are especially suited for deliberation:
- Dilemmas: Difficult moral choices that impact your goals and the future of the game world.
- Expeditions: Travel, exploration, and discovery of new locations.
- Investigations: Following clues to solve mysteries.
- Romance: Building relationships with one more partners.
Time
Time flows freely during deliberation, and only really matters if an outside deadline or other limitation is in play. Time is usually measured in days. Each day can be treated like an exchange, the five rounds (each representing about 4 hours of time) are called projects.
If at least one project a day isn’t used for rest you become exhausted. If already exhausted check heart or fall unconscious for a full day. Each day without rest adds a –1 penalty to the check.
Travel distance is your speed in miles each project. Most travel maps use regions 8 miles across to measure progress.
Resting
Resting involves eating, drinking, and sleeping, so it requires shelter and supplies. Finding a place to rest in a populated region is a cheap (tier 0) service, so can find a place with no check unless strapped. Supplies only need to be tracked if scarcity is a concern.
Resting for a project eliminates the exhausted state. If you aren’t exhausted, or if you rest all day you can make a recovery check against strength and heal hits equal to your success level.
Respites
A break between adventures where characters have time to relax, study, or train is called a respite. If you have unspent points you can enough completed goals to gain a new power level you may spend them during any respite.
Respites may be long or short, and usually occur when the referee notes them, or if players request a respite and no plot is looming over them. In addition to spending points, each character can do one of the following:
- Build: Make items, create or grow your own organization, or advance within an organization you belong to. Requires assets.
- Relax: You heal any damage (including wits) and recover from any states or diseases.
- Research: Learn new information, or build experimental spells or devices. Requires a check.
- Train: Change your career concept.
See Also
Version 2.5.2
©2014 Frameworks Games
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