Dispute

Character Types A character can be controlled by a player or the referee. A unique character has an individual personality, identity, and goals regardless of whether the players know that character's name or can even perceive that the character is unique. Sometimes groups are defined by a single similar impression. A character within a group might have a name, history, and even a personality but still essentially be identical to the rest of the group at first glance. The more you interact with an individual character the greater the chance they will become distinct enough to be upgraded to a unique personality. You: The unique character a player controls. In the interest of streamlining text this may refer to the player or the player's character. Follower: Additional characters that a player controls. Personality: A unique character controlled by the referee. Denizen: Any character controlled by the referee. Individual: Any character, regardless whether they are controlled by a player or the referee. Example: You encounter a fishing boat and its crew. The captain is likely to be unique (and do most of the talking). He might have an impression such as "a long grey beard" and a reminder like the stereotypical "gruff and gravelly, desperate for a big haul". The rest of the crew? Depending on how important they are they will probably be lumped into a single group with an impression like "strong sinewy backs" and a reminder like "shy and stammering, desperate for a big haul". If you start interacting with the crew personalities might start to emerge, and now you have a mutinous mate, a weary cook, and fresh new kid each with their own impression and reminders.

A dispute is a conflict of words rather than physical attacks. Disputes are usually encounters, but a map may not be necessary. A dispute may break out between players due to a dilemma, but more likely it will be an attempt to sway denizens to cooperate with a plan. Participants join sides, and are physically moved to stand with their side as a matter of convenience. When the dispute ends participants will go along with the winning side. Note that if you lose you also go along with the winning side. You don't necessarily have to change your opinion, but you do have to cooperate with the winner.

• Pro tip: Losing a dispute can be interesting, because there may be a gap between what your character thinks (which you still have absolute control over) and how your character will act. You might choose to close that gap by having your character's opinion change. Or it could be that the character sees everyone else's commitment and realizes its counter-productive to try to stop them. Or you could just be biding your time. Think of this gap as a challenge and a role-playing opportunity rather than mind control...or make sure your character is really good at arguments.

Sides

When a dispute starts there are at least two sides, each with a speaker who articulated the initial position of the side. Everyone else can either immediately move to the side they prefer, or remain in a neutral pool between the sides. Followers automatically join their leader on a side. If a side clearly appeals to a denizen they will join it, otherwise they will remain in the neutral pool until recruited. Each side has an intent, a course of action that everyone is expected to follow if the side wins. You can create a new side by simply moving to a new position and stating your side's intent. Neutral audience may defend themselves, but if they use a social attack they must immediately join a side. If a side's intent is dangerous or absurd the referee may assign it a *Questionable penalty that applies to all checks for attack, defense, and fear.

• Convince: Use an appearance attack against a speaker to add (or remove) the questionable penalty to a side.
• Distract: Use a snap and make an appearance social attack ti give your target interference. Refuse and retort will both stop this effect.
• Persuade: Use a communication social attack on a single target or a crowd of denizens (neutral or denizens that have joined a side). Roll your voice, and anyone you knock out joins your side, or horde equal to the wits you roll will join.
• Screen: Gain refuse defenses. Especially useful if you are the speaker for your side.
• Threaten: Like persuade, but uses rank, causes a fear check, and you get a reaction penalty from those still neutral or on other sides.

Outcome

After each exchange, as part of the changing circumstances, everyone who isn't on the largest side must make a fear check and then the dispute ends. Anyone who fails joins the largest side. Neutrals don't count as a side, and must always attempt the fear check. Any remaining sides with speakers may either concede the dispute to the largest side or spend a focus to continue for another exchange (unless other condition changes would prevent an extension). Most disputes will have an environmental condition that makes interference force a denizen on your side onto the side you attacked, or back to neutral if no other side was involved. If you have no denizens on your side, then your entire side suffers the normal effect of interference instead. More intense disputes might have even more extreme conditions for interference or stunts. Anyone on the winning side will cooperate fully with the intent. Anyone still on a losing side may not work against the intent, but don't have to do anything to support it.

• Pro Tips: Intoxicants are useful in disputes, giving a penalty to refuse checks and a bonus to fear checks. A well timed threaten can win a dispute, but if you use it too early the reaction penalty can hamper your future arguments.

Special Disputes

• Argument. A dispute between a small number of people may resolved as a complication where the consequence for failure margin is losing wits. The target for the complication is usually equal to the highest wits of any participant.
• Debate. A formal debate is a special dispute between designated teams. Each round the platform designates a speaker, and only the speaker may act or retort. There is a large crowd of technically neutral denizens observing, and the winner is the side that gains the most observers after an exchange.
• Spectacle. You are competing with other performers to gain the most attention. The intent for each side is to be the most appreciated by the audience, and only vary in exactly how they winning people over. Retorts represent heckling or other attempts to sabotage an opponents' performance. A spectacle could be as formal as a battle of the bands, or as informal as being noticed by important people at a party. There may also be rewards for victory such as access to an important personality, profit, or a prize asset.
• Trial. A trial may either have a jury pool (formed of some number of denizens) or judges. The only sides are to find a defendant innocent or guilty of a charge. Pointers count as people on your side for determining victory. If a clue is exposed as a fraud it is removed and that side becomes questionable. Trials usually only allow one exchange each day, and continue until all the judges and jury have picked a side.

See Also

• Encounter
• Battle
• Chase
• Raid

Version 2.5.2
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