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, even if a map isn'tused. A dispute may result from a dilemma or from a major decision that requires cooperation from denizens. When a dispute starts it is between two conflicting individuals, each with a platform. The referee will determine if a platform has any properties, and then reflex is dealt normally. As a dispute progresses more platforms may be added, and each side will either build up their own platform or tear down opposing platforms. A dispute ends when the tension threshold is broken. The tension threshold is 5 unless faults, abilities, or conditions change it.

Platform Properties

When a dispute starts there are at least two active platforms. A platform is an intended course of action, and it should be clear what everyone present will commit to doing if that platform wins. Once a platform is defined the referee will assign it one or more properties and a speaker. The speaker is usually either the first person who described the platform, or the highest ranking supporter. The speaker counts as the platform and vice versa. If a speaker is knocked out the other members of the platform choose a new speaker. The speaker may allow or reject anyone from counting as part of the platform.

• Conventional: Safer, associated with tradition, logic, and common sense. A conventional platform gains a bonus on all checks if the individual with the highest status present supports it. If there is a tie in status then no bonus is gained.
• Radical: Dangerous, associated with passion, surprise, and risk. All defenses against a radical platform suffer a penalty if intoxicants are present.
• Questionable: Absurd, hard to explain, or seemingly doomed to failure. A questionable platform suffers a penalty on all checks. Note that deceive might add or remove this property from a platform.

Participation

Once a dispute starts you may be an active participant, a passive observer, or leave (if you can). You are only bound by the result if you are present, so leaving can be a way to avoid acting on a platform you don't wish to support. Denizens will default to observers. Personalities may be observers or participants depending on their personal stakes. The most useful actions in a dispute are:

• Convince: Use a perform social attack against a platform to add or remove the questionable property.
• Distract: Use a snap and make a perform social attack. If you succeed your target gains interference, which increases tension. Insight and retort will both stop this effect.
• Persuade: Use a negotiate social attack on observers or a single target. Roll your voice, and observers equal to your sway join your intent. A personality will join once your sway exceeds their wits.
• Screen: Gain insight defenses. Especially useful if you are the speaker for a platform.
• Taunt: Use a perform social attack on an opponent. Roll your voice, and sway adds doubt markers to your target.
• Threaten: Works like persuade, but uses command and adds tension (unless retorted).

Tension

Tension is a representation for how heated the dispute has become. Gaining interference during a dispute adds one tension in place of the normal effects. Any attack or threaten that hits (after defenses are attempted) automatically adds 1 tension. At the end of each exchange 1 tension is automatically added. Tension may also be added by the referee for outside conditions such as imminent danger or particularly inflammatory remarks. When tension exceeds the threshold (usually 5) the dispute ends and the results are checked. When you add tension 2 participants leave your platform or join the other platform.

Dispute Results

One side will have prevalence. Count the individuals within each platform, but an individual doesn't count if he or she has doubt markers. If the platform is conventional and has authority, double its count. If the platform is radical has has intoxicants, double its count. Half the count (round up) of a questionable platform. The biggest total has prevalence, and the reflex of the speakers breaks any ties. Individuals in other platforms (or no platform at all) must make a resolve check or switch to the prevalent platform. Anyone in the prevalent platform will act on the intended course of action as agreed upon, and anyone else may either cooperate or withdraw, but they won't actively oppose the course of action anymore.

New Platforms

A dispute starts with two platforms, but more may be added. Usually one is presented by a player and the other is a counter offer by a personality, however it could also be two players who disagree. To add a new platform define the intended action, and the referee assigns it any relevant properties as normal. You must succeed at a persuade action, and then you become the speaker for new platform.

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. You gain observers normally.
• Trial. A trial may either have a jury pool (formed of some number of observers) or judges (one or more personalities). The only platforms are to find a prosecuted defendant guilty or innocent of a charge. The side with the most supporting clues counts as conventional with status. If a clue is exposed as a fraud that side becomes questionable. If the dispute would end from tension it is instead delayed for a day, and then continues with the previous totals.
• Spectacle. You are competing with other performers, trying to gain the most attention. The intent for each side is to be the most appreciated by the audience, and usually only vary in exactly how they are attempting to win people over. Taunt or deceive represent heckling or other attempts to sabotage your opponents' presentations. 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.

See Also

• Encounter
• Battle
• Chase
• Infiltration

Version 2.5.1
©2014 Frameworks Games

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