Glossary

Storyteller

the player responsible for controlling the non-player characters and determining results

d100/d%

two ten-sided dice, one acting as the ten's place and one acting as the one's place

Success Check

A d% roll made to determine the outcome of an action, the number rolled needs to be less than a target number

Opposed Success

A Success Check that must beat an opponent's roll as well as a target number

Critical Success

An unmodified roll of 1 on a d%, which results in unusually good outcomes

Critical Failure

An unmodified roll of 100 on a d%, which results in unusually bad outcomes

Power Check

A d% roll made to determine the magnitude of an action, the number rolled is the power score and can only go as high as a target number

Narrative Effect

An outcome that affects the story, but does not have a numerical impact on the game

Character

Any of the player or Storyteller controlled entities in the game

Character Concept

The idea that drives a Character's creation

Ability Scores

A character's defining characteristics and their likelihood of successfully using a skill with no specialized training in it

Resistances

A character's ability to resist negative mental or physical effects, given by Vitality plus the higher of either Strength or Dexterity for Physical Resistance, and Personality plus the higher of either Awareness or Intelligence for Mental Resistance

Resistance Check

A Power Check made to overcome a negative effect, maximum power is given by the character's Resistance score

Specialization

The representation of a character's experience, given by a numerical bonus that is added to an associated Ability Score

Skill Specialization

A specialization that adds a bonus whenever a character uses a particular Skill

Special Ability

A specialization that allows a character to perform a magic-like ability at will, once per combat encounter

Trait

A Special Ability purchased at the time of character creation that grants a permanent, minor Narrative Effect to the character

Defect

Permanent penalties to a character's skills or traits that negatively affect them

Skill Defect

Applies a penalty to Skill Checks of a particular variety, and give a bonus equal to the penalty whenever a player chooses to invote it in the story

Defect Traits

Apply a permanent negative Narrative Effect to a character, and give an offsetting 10 point bonus whenever a player chooses to invoke it in the story

Archetypes

Bundles of specializations that have been picked based on a generic type of character concept, a shorthand for building characters

XP

Experience points that are gained as a character advances through the story, these are spent on Specializations

Round

The time taken for all combat participants to take their turn

Turn

The time during a combat round when a player is allowed to take their actions

Action

Performing a major or minor activity during a combat turn

Tactical Time

The phased approach to keeping order during combat, with Initiative determining turn order

Initiative

A Dexterity based Power check that determines the order in which combat participants take their turns, the highest score goes first

Moving

Any sort of resisted or finesse movement skill (usually Dexterity or Strength based)

Damage Target

One of the places that a character can be injured

Composition

A character's combination of Damage Targets

Melee Range

How far a character can reach during combat

Ranged Attack

An attack made with a thrown or fired projectile

Critical Hit

An attack that receives a Critical Success on its hit check and results in particularly good outcomes

Damage

A number representing how injured a character's damage target is

Blocking

Interposing a weapon, limb, or shield into the path of an incoming attack to reduce the amount of Damage taken

Dodging

Moving out of the way to prevent damage from an attack

Armor

Protective equipment that reduces any damage taken

Critical Defense

A Dodge or Block attempt that receives a Critical Success and results in particularly good outcomes

Damage Thresholds

The point at which injuries begin to negatively affect a character's performance

Wounded

The condition suffered when a character takes Damage equal to or greater than their Vitality to a Damage Target

Disabled

The condition suffered when a character takes Damage equal to twice or greater their Vitality to a Damage Target

First Aid

The ability to reduce the negative effects of an injury

Attack Rate

The number of actions used to perform a single attack

Magic

Supernatural powers and abilities that can cause Damage and Narrative Effects

Prone

A stance that grants characters a bonus to ranged attack and defense while applying a penalty to melee attack and defense

Technique

One of the advanced actions that can be taken by a character during combat

Pin

A Technique that prevents a target from using their actions for Moving

Disarm

A Technique that removes an equipped weapon from a target's hand

Knockdown

A Technique that causes a target to be knocked prone

Fighting in Formation

A Technique that allows multiple allied combatants to work together and temporarily gain a Horde bonus based on the number of members in the formation

Precise Strike

A Technique that allows an attacker to find vulnerabilities in a target's armor

Stealth

A Technique that allows an attacker to hide from their target and deny them the opportunity to defend

Dual Wielding

A Technique that allows a character to simultaneously attack with a weapon in both hands

Social Conflict

Combat using words that targets the Spirit Damage Target

Barter

A Social Technique used to change the agreed upon Value Level of an item on sale.

Provoke

A Social Technique that allows a character to draw the aggression of a target

Intimidate

A Social Technique that allows a character to scare a target into taking an action

Deceive

A Social Technique that allows a character to force a target to believe a piece of false information

Calm

A Social Technique that allows a character to remove the hostile intentions of a target