Risk and Dice: The Core Procedure

When resolving uncertainty, the Referee should consider these questions in order:

1. Is this something an average person knows or can do without much risk? If so, the Wardens know it or can do it.
2. Is this something anyone with this Warden’s background or skills might know or be able to do? If so, the Wardens should probably be able to do it.
3. Are they resolving some uncertainty with a power? If so, consult the power rules.
4. Can this be resolved with a Pact, either in the world or between players? If so, agree on the terms.

If none of the above fit, it’s time for a Threat Roll or (rarely) a Luck Roll.

If neither of those feel right, maybe what the player wants simply can’t be done. Share some information about why.

Pacts

At any time, a player may make a Pact with the Referee (even if it would normally contradict one of the other rules). Anything is on the table, as long as both sides agree that their deal balances out:

• If you blunder into this without any forethought, you’ll get 1 Renown.
• Could I take my time on this and get an extra die? / Sure, but you’ll face a risk that you don’t complete it in time.
• You can’t safely make that jump with what you’re carrying, maybe drop an item first? / Can I spend 1 Aether to power through anyway? / Sounds good.

Some Pacts affect other players; loop them into the decision too.

Ability Ratings

These values rate a Warden’s ability to act under threat or succeed against long odds. They don’t prescribe possibility; anyone can make a good argument or climb a wall or pull a trigger. The question is “how safely can you do it” and “can you do it under pressure?”

• Charm: get someone on your side, spin a convincing lie, make a good impression
• Command: bark orders (to an individual or a crowd), intimidate someone, resist beguiling or mind-altering effects
• Finesse: act with precision and care, manipulate something delicate, wield a tool or weapon with panache
• Muscle: apply brute force, fight with your strength, endure harsh circumstances
• Rig: use or improvise a gadget, sail a ship, decipher complex mechanisms
• Scout: explore dangerous locations, take a potshot, read a situation
• Scramble: navigate treacherous terrain, perform feats of acrobatics, reflexively avoid danger
• Shadow: move unseen, follow a target, do violence from hiding

Sometimes there will be gray areas: the Referee will call for a Muscle roll, but the player in question thinks Finesse is more appropriate. Or a player will assume they’re Shadowing, but the Referee had Scrambling in mind. The Referee should err on the side of permissiveness, but may explain the downsides of one approach and leave the decision to the player (e.g. “if you’re using Shadow, you’re carefully picking your way over there; the immediate argument will be resolved before you arrive. If you Scramble, you can make it in time”).

Threat Roll

To resolve uncertainty and risk, the Referee may call for a Threat Roll. First, they enumerate the Threats facing a Warden. Threats are situation-dependent: trying to slip into a party uninvited may prompt the threat “the doorman asks for your invitation”, while trying to pry open an ancient machine with a knife may prompt the threat “you are gravely injured.”

Once the Threats are laid out, decide which ability rating is relevant. The Referee may pick or ask the Warden for their choice; both parties should agree before moving on.

Gather d6 equal to the ability rating. Then add dice equal to the number of threats minus one, so that a Warden facing two threats receives +1d, three threats receives +2d, and so on. The Warden should then roll the dice, and assign each die to a threat.

Usually, on a 1-3, the threat comes to pass; on a 4/5, it is averted or lessened in some way; on a 6, it’s totally avoided.

A 1-3 is not a failure and a 6 is not a success. Unless the threat is specifically the threat of failing, you can perfectly well succeed at what you’re trying to do - though maybe in a compromised way, or maybe you paid a hefty price to do it. Sometimes, you may even face risks without the possibility of forward progress. The roll is about the risk, not success. (If it seems like the Referee forgot, the rest of the table should feel perfectly free to remind them of this).

Desperate Position

If your Warden is woefully outmatched, hopelessly outnumbered, or otherwise very unlikely to avoid a Threat the Referee may declare it is Desperate. Desperate Threats come to pass on a 1-5, and are avoided on a 6; they are not lessened on a 4/5.

Example Threats

Social

• Persuasion: On a 1-3, they don’t believe you. On a 4/5, they need some concrete evidence or assurance. Maybe a guard demands a bribe, maybe a town refuses to evacuate in the face of danger, maybe a duke orders your execution.
• Entreaty: On a 1-3, they make a demand of you before agreeing to your request. On a 4/5, you only need to agree to the demand first and may complete it later.
• Bargaining: On a 1-3 they refuse you, and may or may not name their price. On 4/5 they’ll name their price and hear your counter offer.
• Intimidation: On a 1-3 they brush off your threat and may flee, escalate, or pretend to cooperate. On a 4/5 they will give you what they think you want, and then may flee or barricade themself away from you.
• Impatience: On a 1-3 they will end the interaction after the next exchange. On a 4/5 their patience is tested and they become Frustrated.
• Frustrated: On a 1-3 they will end the interaction (including by force, if they see it necessary). On a 4/5 they will allow you the last word, but may not respond.

Investigation

• Snooping: On a 1-3 you are caught in the act. On a 4/5 you have a choice: leave behind indelible evidence of an intruder or clean up and try to talk your way out.
• Research: On a 1-3 you find some trivia, but nothing that seems relevant. On a 4/5 you find relevant information, but it’s up to you to make it useful.
• Wayfinding: On a 1-3 you are completely lost; the Referee will describe your surroundings. On a 4/5 you end up somewhere you didn’t intend, but at least you know where.

Peril

• Dodge: On a 1-3 you take the full Harm. On a 4/5 you take half Harm, rounded down (consult violence-and-harm > Harm rules for 0 Harm).
• Stun: On a 1-3 you’re unable to act for the duration. On a 4/5 you’ll have an additional Threat that you were too slow.
• Fail: On a 1-3 your action is not successful. On a 4/5 the Referee may give you partial success, or may give you full success as long as you Pay the Price.
• Sneaking: On a 1-3 you are spotted and your location is known. On a 4/5 your presence is detected but you aren’t spotted yet.

Pay the Price

The Referee may ask you to Pay the Price when you narrowly avoid a Threat without an obvious “lesser” outcome. Pick from the list below and mark the option you picked. No other player may pick that option for the rest of the Situation. If all options are marked, unmark all of them.

• Mark an Ideal.
• Lose one Insight.
• Drop an important weapon or tool.
• Spend a point of Gear.
• Damage an item from your Stash (unavailable until Downtime)
• Suffer a setback, making the situation harder for yourself
• Make the situation worse for a teammate or ally
• Take 1 Harm.

Luck Roll

Sometimes there really isn’t a Threat, and the question doesn’t come down to the skill of a Warden. Things may just be plain uncertain. In that case, it’s probably best to gather up a pool of d6 and roll 'em. Add a d6 for each factor in favor, and remove one for each against. Higher results are better outcomes.