I’ve had a mostly functional model for a while, but there are a lot of shortcuts and assumptions cooked into it that make it difficult for me to experiment with alternative mechanics. The new model I’m working on is going to be a lot more robust, with space clearly carved out for different AI decision-making points (by far the most difficult part of modeling the game economy is figuring out how people will actually play). It’s been pretty frustrating so far, since I’m not a Python expert and I’ve let what I did know get a bit rusty, but becoming a better Python coder is a hypothetically useful job skill, so I can tell myself that I’m not completely wasting my time.

I have a few quotes that will hopefully help me make my point. The first is about fantasy in general, rather than epic fantasy in particular, but I really like it. In the denouement of the brilliant Hogfather by Terry Pratchett, Susan and Death (who speaks in ALL CAPS) discuss why it is important for the children of the Discworld to believe in the Hogfather, their equivalent of Santa Claus:

“All right,” said Susan. “I’m not stupid. You’re saying that humans need . . . fantasies in order to make life bearable.”
REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.
“Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little–”
YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.
“So we can believe the big ones?”
YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.
“They’re not the same at all!”
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET– Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME . . . SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
“Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what’s the point–”
MY POINT EXACTLY.

Fantasy helps us believe in important, real things – things that we might feel hokey about expressing in our modern, cynical world, but things which are nonetheless vital to us. Fantasy is a way of looking at ideas, ideals, themes, and philosophies that are all-too-easy to believe don’t fit in our everyday lives. So what about epic fantasy? That’s a bit harder since the genre isn’t well defined, but everyone agrees that The Lord of the Rings qualifies. Here’s a quote from the movie version of The Two Towers:

Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo; the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end… because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was, when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going… because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?
Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

For me, what distinguishes epic fantasy is the scope of the threat. I think that the core of an epic fantasy story is a protagonist defending what is good about the world (for some definition of “the world”) from forces that would destroy it. It’s about linking personal action and personal virtue to bigger and broader things, things worth saving. In the cynical world we live in, for big issues and small, it seems like there is a constant pressure to be small-minded, hopeless, and complacent. Dishonest politician? They’re all like that. Your boss wants you to start cutting corners to hit an impossible deadline? Nobody will trace it back to you. There’s a problem that will fester if you don’t have a conversation about it? Best to avoid the potential conflict… Epic fantasy heroes don’t give in to that: they stand against the tide of evil. Epic fantasy stories don’t tell us that it’s easy to do that, because it’s usually not, but they tell us that it’s right to do that, and it’s nice to get that reminder from time to time. Fantasy helps up believe in difficult ideas, and the difficult idea that epic fantasy asks us to believe is that individual virtues matter, that doing the right thing matters. Sam Gamgee saved a world by being a good friend. Sure, it was a fantasy world and not a real one, but Tolkien made it real enough for us to see the truth and importance of that idea. When so many forces in the world want us to believe that everything is going downhill and there’s nothing any of us can do about it, I’m glad that Epic Fantasy is out there saying “You shall not pass!” and reminding us that we all have the capacity to stand for what’s right, in big ways and small.

Plus, there’s wizards and magic and sword fights and a bunch of other awesome stuff.

Open issues as of 0.62:

• Will supporting character players get bored if they can’t get spotlight after finishing their subplots?
• It’s easy for the spotlight player to forget to explicitly spend their story dice to bring in their traits. Is it because everyone starts talking about the spotlight character during the initial “present adversity”?
• There’s a strong tendency to roll from “narrate the results of an exchange” into the “present adversity” step, even if you’re not the one who’s supposed to present adversity
• It’s easy to forget to bump a trait’s die size when winning an exchange
• People want to jump to wrapping up the chapter before narrating the final exchange
• The “how to group words” explanation is clunky
• Write a “strategy guide” for how to play adversity?
• Talk about some of the asymmetries and reasons behind them explicitly rather than trusting everyone to pick up the subtleties
• Figure out how to stop the spotlight player from starting the chapter with aggressive scene framing
• Figure out how to guide people away from “find the conflict” style play
• Figure out how to guide people away from “we freeform roleplay for a while, then we decide to use the mechanics” style play
• Add summary tables along with the rules in addition to quick-reference chart at the end
• Analyze the probabilities, especially for different numbers of players
• Consider using colored dice rather than die sizes to differentiate story/action dice

Resolved in 0.62:

• How do Supporting Characters work after they’re done with their subplot?
• How should finishing plot segments interact with spending bonus points?
• Figure out who narrates on ties — consider the “third party” solution we tried in the playtest
• Describe “who talks when” explicitly as design exercise to improve communication of procedures (praxis thread)
• The similarities and differences between the way the alignment track works for PCs and NPCs is potentially confusing
• The “world creation” example needs character created from “fact about the world” style seeds
• Distribute the world creation example through part 1 rather than all at the end
• The 3-stage/segment 3-segment/plot relationship needs clarity earlier in the rules
• Clarify the that only adversity player gets extra spotlight dice for winning chapter — lots of people seem confused by that
• Rewrite the Dark Mirror example to eliminate LOTR semi-references
• Bring active/passive explanations from glossary into main rules text

Changes in rev 0.62:

• Added mechanical benefit for completing plot segment/subplot
• Added post-subplot mechanics for supporting characters
• Additional plot/world creation examples
• New Dark Mirror example
• Clarified: 3 segments per plot, 3 stages per segment
• Improved explanation of active/passive threats
• Clarified difference in NPC/Supporting Character alignment tracks
• Added mechanical benefit to Supporting Character alignment track
• Supporting characters must interact to adjust their alignment tracks
• Adversity player narrates ties

When completing a plot segment or subplot, the player is granted a mechanical effect equivalent to spending two bonus points (e.g. thwarting an NPC, radically modifying a trait of your PC and a trait of an NPC to perform a trait handoff, etc.) in keeping with the stated segment goal. If there’s no way to do that mechanically (e.g. if your goal is to defeat a character who was never officially statted out as an NPC) you receive one bonus point.

When the plot segments are created, each supporting character identifies two particular protagonist or antagonist plot segments to either help or hinder. They note these down in the second and third blocks of their plot tracks (if hindering, add the dice in reverse order when you win a chapter as adversity: d20, d12, d10). Once they’re done with their subplot, they no longer use the plot track for their own spotlight dice. Instead, these dice can be used to replace the dice of the corresponding protagonist or antagonist. After the player in question becomes the spotlight character in the appropriate plot segment, the supporting character player may roll his set of dice (and mark off the “done” check in their own segment). The supporting character can then swap as many of his rolled dice for the story dice of the player he is targeting as he wishes.

example: Peter the protagonist has become the spotlight player by rollinga 16 and a 10. Fred the supporting character has completed his subplot and has been building up dice to hinder the protagonist in the protagonist’s current segment. He chooses to roll the d20, d12, and d10 he’s checked off, marks the “complete” checkbox that would normally indicate plot progress, and gets an 18, an 11 and a 4 on his dice. He decides to replace Peter’s 16 with his 4. Peter is still the spotlight character, but he must play the chapter with spotlight dice showing 10 and 4 instead of what he rolled initially.

• How do Supporting Characters work after they’re done with their subplot?
• How should finishing plot segments interact with spending bonus points?
• It’s easy for the spotlight player to forget to explicitly spend their story dice to bring in their traits. Is it because everyone starts talking about the spotlight character during the initial “present adversity”?
• There’s a strong tendency to roll from “narrate the results of an exchange” into the “present adversity” step, even if you’re not the one who’s supposed to present adversity
• It’s easy to forget to bump a trait’s die size when winning an exchange
• People want to jump to wrapping up the chapter before narrating the final exchange
• Figure out who narrates on ties — consider the “third party” solution we tried in the playtest
• Figure out how to stop the spotlight player from starting the chapter with aggressive scene framing
• Figure out how to guide people away from “find the conflict” style play
• Figure out how to guide people away from “we freeform roleplay for a while, then we decide to use the mechanics” style play
• Describe “who talks when” explicitly as design exercise to improve communication of procedures (praxis thread)
• The “how to group words” explanation is clunky
• Write a “strategy guide” for how to play adversity?

Old issues still on the list:

• The similarities and differences between the way the alignment track works for PCs and NPCs is potentially confusing
• The “world creation” example needs character created from “fact about the world” style seeds
• Distribute the world creation example through part 1 rather than all at the end
• The 3-stage/segment 3-segment/plot relationship needs clarity earlier in the rules
• Talk about some of the asymmetries and reasons behind them explicitly rather than trusting everyone to pick up the subtleties
• Clarify the that only adversity player gets extra spotlight dice for winning chapter — lots of people seem confused by that
• Rewrite the Dark Mirror example to eliminate LOTR semi-references
• Add summary tables along with the rules in addition to quick-reference chart at the end
• Bring active/passive explanations from glossary into main rules text
• Analyze the probabilities (d20 may not be as scary as some initially thought)
• Consider using colored dice rather than die sizes to differentiate story/action dice

Chapter 5
Spotlight: Lance 1. Dan 2,1. Lenny 10,8.
Adversity: Lance 10,8. Dan 12,11,9.

The Elder, not wanting another direct confrontation with Gerhard, sneaks into the palace to find the crown prince. [I spend my 9 on a d4 passive environmental threat, The Elder's old and creaky joints.] He quickly discovers that he’s not as young and spry as he used to be, as his old and creaky joints slow him down and seem destined to attract every guard in the place with each click and pop. [Lenny spends his 10 to activate Been There, Done That and Flame Magic]. Even though it’s not as easy as it used to be, The Elder has done this before [Been There, Done That d6] [Roll for exchange 1: Lenny 4 vs. Dan 1. Lenny wins, I exhaust. Lenny bumps Been There, Done That to d8] and is able to avoid the guards and make his way to the door of the crown prince’s chambers. [I spend my 11 on a d6 active environmental threat, palace guards]. Outside it stand a pair of foul-tempered palace guards, clearly in no mood to grant anyone entry. The Elder, of course, has dealt with their type before [Been There, Done That d8] and knows that fire is an ideal solution [Flame Magic d8]. [Roll for exchange 2: Lenny 4,1 vs. Dan 2. Lenny wins, both exhaust. Since there are no active traits to bump, Lenny gets a bonus point]. He unleashes a blast of flame at their feet, forcing them to flee in terror. [I spend my 12 on a d6 active environmental threat, a raging fire]. The Elder notices that his blast of fire wasn’t quite as narrow and focused as he intended as a tapestry goes up in flame and fire begins to spread down the hallway. [Lenny spends his 8 to activate Flame Magic]. Annoyed at yet another distraction, The Elder mutters chants of quiet to bring the flames under control [Flame Magic d8]. [Roll for exchange 3: Lenny 7 vs. Dan 4. Lenny wins, neither exhaust. Lenny bumps the fire down to d4]. The Elder slowly calms the flames, but a smoldering tapestry falls from the wall, igniting the carpet [d4], and he sighs in frustration as he redoubles his effort to extinguish the fire [d8]. [Roll for exchange 4: Lenny 1 vs Dan 2. I win, both exhaust. Since there are no active traits I get a bonus point]. The fire spreads down the hallway, away from the prince’s chamber, and The Elder glances back and forth between the flames and the doorway, wondering whether he should just forget about the fire and let it burn. Prince Steffan emerges from his chambers with a bucket of water, dumps it on the fire, and shakes his head disapprovingly at The Elder. [I don't have any active traits to offer more adversity and no story dice to activate more, so Lenny wins the chapter as spotlight player and advances on stage along his plot].

Chapter 6
Spotlight: Lance 12. Dan 7,7. Lenny 2.
Adversity: Dan 11,4,2. Lenny 9,7.

Julian decides to take a picnic basket to Astrid’s and invite her out for the day, but as he approaches her house on his plow horse [I spend my 11 to introduce a new NPC, Herman. Normally I'd get two traits activated, but I have to pay a creation tax for a newly created NPC, in this case the tax is one because he is directly mentioned on a seed as the protagonist's rival, so I can only activate one trait, Gets what he wants.]

Herman
d8 – Gets what he wants
d6 – Winning smile
d6 – Smooth talker
d4 – Rich family

he sees his rival for Astrid’s affections. Herman, who always gets what he wants [d8], has had a similar idea and is knocking on Astrid’s door with a picnic basket of his own, waiting to whisk her away in his fancy carriage. [Lance spends his 12 to activate Doggedly Stubborn and Geniunely Goodhearted]. Julian stubbornly [d8] refuses to accept defeat, so he rides around the back of the house to Astrid’s window. [Roll for exchange 1: Lance 8 vs. Dan 5. Lance wins, neither exhaust. Lance bumps Gets what he wants down to d6]. While Herman is busy talking to the housekeeper, Astrid comes to the window to talk to Julian, and he invites her to come for a ride. Just then, the housekeeper opens the door to Astrid’s room and shows Herman in [Gets what he wants d6]. “Ah, Astrid, I’ve prepared a wonderful picnic for us. Well, I should say my servants prepared it, but I’m ready to show you a wonderful day together.” Julian pushes forward with his plan anyway [Doggedly Stubborn d8], reaching through the window to scoop Astrid out onto his horse. [Roll for exchange 2: Lance 3 vs. Dan 3. Tie, neither exhaust. We tried an on-the-fly rules mod and let Lenny narrate the result]. Flabbergasted by Julian’s uncouth behavior, Herman crosses the room just in time to grab a hold of Astrid’s leg, locking Herman and Julian in a tug-of-war with Astrid in the middle. [I spend my 2 to activate Winning smile]. Although Herman smiles to Astrid whenever she looks his way [d6], he fixes Julian with a murderous glare, making it clear that he is ready to go as far as he needs to in order to get Astrid [Gets what he wants d6]. Julian wouldn’t hurt someone just because he’s a romantic rival [Genuinely Goodhearted d6], but he isn’t prepared to let Astrid go [Doggedly Stubborn d8]. [Roll for exchange 3: Lance 4,3 vs. Dan 5,4. I win, Lance exhausts. I would bump something but the chapter is winding down]. While it begins playfully enough, Julian gets the sense that Herman won’t keep it that way for long. To prevent Astrid from getting hurt Julian lets go, doing so just as Herman was yanking her toward him. She tumbles back into the room and the two of them land in a heap on the floor with Astrid giggling excitedly. Herman flashes his smile and escorts her out to his carriage. [I am able to offer adversity but Lance has no more active traits or story dice to activate more, so I win the chapter as the adversity player and add a d20 spotlight die to my current plot stage].

Chapter 7
Spotlight: Lance 16. Dan 7,6,6. Lenny 2.
Adversity: Dan 7,6,6. Lenny 8,5.

After some time has passed, Julian rides his horse through town, wondering how he can possibly get closer to Astrid. He is shocked to see Herman talking and giggling with another girl. [Lenny spends his 8 to activate Herman's Gets What He Wants]. Herman stares right at Julian. “Nobody has to hear about this, do they, farm boy?” [Lance spends his 16 to activate all four of Julian's traits] Julian, never one to step away from a problem [Doggedly Stubborn d8] tries to deal with it the best way he knows how: he climbs down from his horse and takes a swing at Herman [Country Boy d6]. [Roll for exchange 1: Lance 5,4 vs. Lenny 7. Lenny wins, neither exhaust. Lenny bumps Doggedly Stubborn down to d6]. Herman, despite his dandy nature, is no pushover. He blocks Julian’s swing and manages to trip Julian into the dirt. “How rude can one be?” asks Herman. “Not even a proper challenge. But if it’s a fight you came for, I’ll give it to you. You really should know your place, though. I could buy and sell you ten times over.” [Lenny spends his 5 to bring in Rich Family d4, and is also using Gets What He Wants d8]. Julian isn’t ready to let it go [Doggedly Stubborn d6] and says, “All the money in the world can’t buy you honor or integrity, Herman.” [Geniunely Goodhearted d6]. [Roll for exchange 2: Lance 6,4 vs. Lenny 4,1. Lance wins, Lenny exhausts. Lance could bump something but doesn't bother to specify since the chapter is winding down]. Herman goes slightly red in the face as he realizes the entire town is looking on and that news of what he’s been doing will certainly get back to Astrid. Julian, realizing that he’s already won, gets back on his horse and rides off. [Lance wins the chapter as the spotlight player and advances along his plot track to start working on stage 3, the final stage of his first segment].

Chapter 8
Spotlight: Lance 3. Dan 11,9,9. Lenny 1.
Adversity: Lance 8,6. Lenny 10,4.

Prince Gerhard approaches his brother the crown prince’s chambers. [Lenny spends both of his story dice to introduce a new character, Guard Captain Gunter. Since we've talked about palace guards before, their captain would be in the "implied by previous fiction" category, which is a tax of two. It's reasonable for him to be there so there isn't any plausibility tax. Normally spending a 10 and a 4 would be enough to activate three traits, but the tax brings it down to one, and Lenny chooses to activate Nose for Bullshit]

Gunter
d8 – Royal Blademaster
d6 – Nose for Bullshit
d6 – Alcohol Tolerance
d4 – Guard Cronies

Guard Captian Gunter, known to be a loyalist, guards Steffan’s door and is willing to challenge anyone, even Prince Gerhard. “It’s a late hour. What business brings you here?” [I spend my 11 to activate Accomplished Liar and Cold and Calculating]. “Gunter, clearly I was concerned for my brother’s safety. I heard there was a fire.” [Accomplished Liar d6]. [Roll for exchange 1: Dan 2 vs. Lenny 3. Lenny wins, neither exhaust. Lenny bumps Nose for Bullshit to d8] Gunter snorts derisively. “Come now, sir, no one else can hear us, you can speak plainly. When was the last time you were truly concerned for your brother? Tell me your actual business and perhaps I will give you access to the prince.” [Nose for Bullshit d8]. Gerhard gives him a cold smile [Cold and Calculating d8]. “Gunter, I know you’re a loyal man, but perhaps you should rethink who you are loyal to. Once my brother and father are out of the way the army may very well need a new general.” Gerhard is confident that Gunter’s ambition will outweigh his loyalty, and has no qualms about making promises he has no intention of keeping [Accomplished Liar d6]. [Roll for exchange 2: Dan 4,2 vs. Lenny 2. I win, both exhaust. Since there are no active traits I get a bonus point.] Gunter, clearly intrigued by the offer, steps aside and lets Gerhard approach the crown prince’s door. [I won the chapter as spotlight so I advance one stage along my plot. I also decide to spend one bonus point to move Gunter along the alignment track to be ideologically aligned with the antagonist].

Chapter 9
Spotlight: Lance 12. Dan 9. Lenny 5.
Adversity: Dan 12,11,3. Lenny 11,3.

A few days after the encounter in the town square, Julian approaches Astrid’s house expecting that she will have heard about Herman’s womanizing by now. [I spend my 11 to activate Herman's Gets What He Wants and Smooth Talker]. As he gets close enough to see inside, he spies Astrid and Herman sitting on a couch, much closer than Julian would have expected. Herman says, “Astrid, darling, you have to understand that the only way I could be sure that our love was true was to test myself with those other girls. But I know now that you’re the only one for me.” [Smooth Talker d6]. [We accidentally skipped the step of explicitly activating Julian's traits with Lance's 12. He should only activate two traits with a 12 but he inadvertently played the chapter as if he had all four available]. Julian enters the house. “I’m tired of trying to play polite. I’m tired of pretending to be smooth and polished, since there’s no way I can compare to Herman an his easy lies. Astrid, I have loved you since we were children and if you give me the chance I’ll show you that every day for the rest of our lives.” [Country Boy d6 and Genuinely Goodhearted d6]. [Roll for exchange 1: Lance 4,4 vs. Dan 6. I win, neither exhaust. I bump Smooth Talker to d8] Herman replies, “I agree with you about one thing, there’s no way you compare to me.” He turns to Astrid. “Darling, why don’t you let this boy know that his childish infatuation is a distraction that you’ve outgrown?” [Smooth Talker d8 and Gets What He Wants d8]. Ignoring him, Julian implores Astrid, “Do you remember when we were thirteen and we were down by the river and we found that tarnished silver ring? Will I’ve kept it, and over the years I’ve polished it up for you. I realize it’s nothing so fine as the gifts you’re used to, but it’s something that I’ve always believed should be yours. I would choose to give this to you on the day that we are wed, but if you should choose someone whose love is less true then it should still be yours.” [Doggedly Stubborn d8 and Mysterious Ring d4]. [Roll for exchange 2: Lance 4,1 vs. Dan 7,4. I win, Lance exhausts. I bump Genuinely Goodhearted down to d4]. Clearly, Astrid is embarassed that Julian is telling stories about her playing by the river like a little girl when she wants to be thought of as a woman.

Herman says, “Don’t worry, darling, I’ll get rid of him.” He looks Julian square in the eyes. “I think the lady would like you to leave, and so would I.” [Gets What He Wants d8]. Julian answers, “I think the lady can speak for herself and doesn’t need a fancy mouth like yours to do it.” [Country Boy d6]. [Roll for exchange 3: Lance 2 vs. Dan 4. I win, Lance exhausts. I forgot to bump any traits.] Astrid turns away, clearly mortified at being thrust into the center of the conflict. “I think that says more than enough,” adds Herman. “Why don’t you just leave here before there’s trouble?” [Gets What He Wants d8 and Smooth Talker d8]. [Lance didn't narrate a response, but I think he was rolling Genuinely Goodhearted d4]. [Roll for exchange 4: Lance 2 vs. Dan 5,2. I win, both exhaust. There are no bumpable traits so I get a bonus point.] Julian fully expected Astrid to come to his defense, but the fact that she stayed silent has his head spinning and he doesn’t even think to protest as Herman pushes him out the door and slams it in his face. [I won the chapter as adversity and I take the d10 spolight die for my second stage, the one one I'm currently working on.]

Chapter 10
Spotlight: Lance 7. Dan 10,10. Lenny 2.
Adversity: Lance 10,3. Lenny 16,2.

Gerhard opens the door to his brother’s chambers and, instead of Steffan, meets The Elder. [Lenny spends his 16 to activate all four traits]. He has his staff out [d6], ready for battle. “You’re too late, Gerhard. I have protected him from your treachery.” Magical flames [d8] dance on his fingertips, daring Gerhard to try his resolve. [I spend a 10 to activate Peerless Duelist and Cold and Calculating]. Prince Gerhard draws his sword [Peerless Duelist d6] and says, “I see it has taken you a while to build up your courage,” figuring that needling The Elder will take him off his game [Cold and Calculating d8]. [Roll for exchange 1: Dan 4,4 vs. Lenny 6,1. Lenny wins, Lenny exhausts. Lenny reduces Peerless Duelist to d4]. There’s a furious back and forth, Gerhard’s blade flashing, The Elder’s fires burning. The Elder, still skilled with his staff even if he’s not as quick as he once was, knocks Gerhard’s sword aside, pushes the prince to the floor, and looms over him. “Get you gone, princeling. Your efforts here will only lead to your demise. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen to many a dynasty.” [Short Temper d4 and Been There, Done That d6]. Gerhard, lying on the floor, holds out his hands nonchalantly. “Oh no, I’ve been disarmed. Whatever shall I do?” He smiles as Gunter the royal blademaster comes in behind The Elder. [I spend a 10 to activate Gunter's Royal Blademaster and Guard Cronies]. The Elder turns to face the new threat [Royal Blademaster d8] and Gerhard leaps to his feet, sword back in hand [Peerless Duelist d4] to trap the old wizard in the middle. [Roll for exchange 2: Dan 7,3 vs. Lenny 6,4. I win, neither exhaust. I bump Peerless Duelist back up to d6]. As skilled as he is, The Elder can’t parry two men at once. Gerhard and Gunter laugh, playing with the outmatched old man. [Lenny spends his 2 to activate Flame Magic]. The Elder is backed into a corner, driven beyond mere anger [Short Temper d4], and unleashes a spell he’s used before [Been There, Done That d6] when his magic has almost been depleted, a searing ball of fire [d8]. Gerhard and Gunter, confident in their footwork from countless hours of sword practice [Peerless Duellist and Royal Blademaster], move to duck out of the way, knowing that Gunter’s cronies [d4] will be there to rush them to the surgeon if they end up a little singed. [Roll for exchange 3: Dan 8,2,1 vs. Lenny 3,3,2. I win, both exhaust. My only active trait is already a d8 so I get a bonus point.] The fire hurtles past them, failing to even scorch their clothes. The Elder is dumbfounded as no one has ever dodged his magic in all his long years. The fight gone out of him, The Elder sinks into the corner as Gerhard laughs at him. [Lenny doesn't have any more active traits to provide adversity and no more dice to get more, so I win the chapter as the spotlight player and advance my plot.]

Chapter 11
Spotlight: Lance 9. Dan 10. Lenny 2.
Adversity: Lance 9. Lenny 19,5.

Gerhard looks for his brother and finds [Lenny spends his 19 to introduce Steffan. He mentioned on a seed so the creation tax is one. Normally a 19 activates four traits so Lenny gets three. He chooses Honest and Forthright, Magical Talent, and Also a Peerless Duelist]

Steffan
d8 – Also a Peerless Duelist
d6 – Honest and Forthright
d6 – Magical Talent
d4 – Heir to the Realm

Crown Prince Steffan at the end of an underground passage that leads from his chamber to the stables. Steffan draws his sword [Also a Peerless Duelist d8] and faces his brother, saying “You didn’t kill the old man. Did you?” [I spend my 10 to activate Cold and Calcualting and Peerless Duelist]. Gerhard replies, “Of course I didn’t kill him. He’s still useful. Unlike you.” [Cold and Calculating d8]. [Roll for exchange 1: Dan 2 vs. Lenny 7. Lenny wins, neither exhaust. Lenny bumps Magical Talent to d8] Their swords clash again and again, a blistering flurry of strokes and counterstrokes, parries and ripostes. Slowly but surely Steffan pushes his younger brother back. A bluish aura trickles from Steffan’s shoulder into the blade, and his blows seem to strike with a power beyond even the greatest of swordsmen. [Magical Talent d8]. “I have endured your machinations for too long, brother. It ends now.” Steffan continues his furious assault [Also a Peerless Duelist d8]. Gerhard tries to parry the attacks [Peerless Duelist d6] [Roll for exchange 2: Dan 4 vs. Lenny 5,2. Lenny wins, Lenny exhausts. Lenny bumps Cold and Calculating down to d6.], but with only the strength of a normal man he is at his brother’s mercy. [Lenny spends his 5 to activate Also a Peerless Duelist]. Holding Gerhard at swordpoint, Steffan says, “You are my blood, and if you cease this nonsense I promise you that your fate will be a gentle one. This does not have to lead to suffering.” [Honest and Forthright d6]. Knowing that his brother will not be able to resist [Cold and Calculating d8], Gerhard reaches out his hand. “Of course, brother, merely take my hand and we can come to some agreement.” [Roll for exchange 3: Dan 1 vs. Lenny 6. Lenny wins, I exhaust. Lenny bumps Peerless Duelist down to d4.] Steffan takes Gerhard’s hand but doesn’t fall for Gerhard’s ploy – when Gerhard’s hidden blade flashes forth Steffan’s own sword is there to meet it. “When will you learn, Gerhard? When will you learn?” He shoves Gerhard backward and they continue in a fair fight [Honest and Forthright d6 and Also a Peerless Duellist d8]. Battered and bruised, Gerhard does his best to match his brother [Peerless Duelist d4]. [Roll for exchange 4: Dan 3 vs. Lenny 4,3. Lenny wins, both exhaust. Lenny should get a bonus point here, since there are no active traits to bump.] The swords clash more furiously than ever, sending sparks flying with each deafening blow of steel upon steel. The battle grows ever more desperate and all semblance of civility is shed as both men use fists, feet, elbows, knees, anything to gain an advantage on the other. Ever so slowly, as the battle rages, Gerhard’s strength begins to wane. Steffan’s assault drives him backwards, then to his knees, then to his back. Eventually Gerhard doesn’t even have the strength to lift his sword, but he still stares at his brother with hate in his eyes. Steffan, exhausted but victorious, prepares to put an end to the struggle, his heart heavy with remorse. As Steffan lifts his sword to strike the killing blow, the stablemaster slams a pitchfork down on the crown prince’s head, cracking his skull. “I’m sorry my prince,” the stablemaster says to Gerhard, “I didn’t realize you’d need my help quite so quickly.” He helps Gerhard to his feet, and Gerhard says, “Thank you for your help.” Then he runs the stablemaster through with his sword. He shakes his head and rehearses his lie. “My brother and the stablemaster fought. I tried my best, but they killed each other before I could stop them.” [Lenny couldn't provide any more adversity so I won the chapter. I advance my plot, which completes my first plot segment. This put us into an unusual situation with respect to the rules: narratively Steffan was dead because that was my plot segment goal, but the character still exists as an NPC unless I spend bonus points to officially remove him from play. I'll need to put some thought into the right way to handle that in the design.]

Chapter 12
Spotlight: Lance 6. Dan 5. Lenny 10.
Adversity: Lance 9,2. Dan 12,9,6.

The Elder sits alone, locked in a cell guarded by Guard Captain Gunter [I spend my 6 to activate Gunter's Alcohol Tolerance], who still seems alert despite the revelry that he and other supporters of Gerhard have been engaging in [Alcohol Tolerance d6]. [Lenny spends his 10 to activate Wizard's Staff and Flame Magic]. Although confined, The Elder is far from helpless. He holds out his hand and his staff flies to it through the bars [Wizard's Staff d6] and he unleashes a gout of magical flame [d8]. [Roll for exchange 1: Lenny ?,? vs. Dan 1. Lenny wins, neither exhaust. Lenny bumps Wizard's Staff up to d8]. The bars on the cell melt into slag and The Elder steps through, past the startled Gunter, and runs up the stairs. [I spend my 12 to activate Gunter's Royal Blademaster and Nose for Bullshit]. Although the exact manner of the escape came as a shock, Gunter suspected that The Elder would try something funny [Nose for Bullshit d6], so the exit to the dungeon complex is locked and double-reinforced. The Elder turns his flames [d8] on the door [Roll for exchange 2: Lenny 4 vs. Dan 4. Tie, neither exhaust.], but it’s made of case-hardened steel and doesn’t yield as easily as the bars did. [Nose for Bullshit d6]. The Elder grits his teeth and throws all of his power against the door, his flames burning white hot [Flame Magic d8]. [Roll for exchange 3: Lenny 7 vs. Dan 5. Lenny wins, neither exhaust. Lenny bumps Nose for Bullshit down to d4]. The Elder bursts through the door, but the delay in getting through it has given Gunter a chance to catch up. He pulls his sword [Royal Blademaster d8] and says, “You won’t get away that easily, old man.” The Elder brings up his staff to parry the blow. [Wizard's Staff d6]. [Roll for exchange 4: Lenny 8 vs. Dan 1. Lenny wins, I exhaust. All active traits are already at the extreme die sizes so Lenny gets a bonus point.] “You’ll find I still have a few tricks up my sleeve, young man,” says The Elder while he pummels Gunter. “And you think I don’t?” Gunter replies [Nose for Bullshit d4]. “You think I would station only one guard on you?” Hearing armored footsteps approaching, The Elder redoubles his efforts to take out Gunter with his staff. [Roll for exchange 5: Lenny 2 vs. Dan 2. Tie, both exhaust.] As they fight, neither one gaining ground, the footsteps fade down another passage, revealing Gunter’s threat of more guards as merely a bluff. [ I spend my 9 to activate Prince Gerhard's Cold and Calculating].

The stomping guards, however, masked the quieter approach of Prince Gerhard. “All right, Elder. The deed is done,” he says [Cold and Calculating d8]. “I’m ready for you to transfer the power to me, now.” Cursing, The Elder hurls a ball of flame at the prince [Flame Magic d8]. [Roll for exchange 6: Lenny 7 vs Dan 4. Lenny wins, I exhaust. Since there are no bumpable traits, Lenny gets a bonus point.] The fireball slams into Gerhard, sending him flying across the room where he smashes into a table. The Elder looms over him and declares, “There will be no heir to the magic of the Valley of Fire thanks to your treachery. This era of magic will come to an end. But at least I will have the satisfaction of destroying the perpetrator.” He raises his hands and sends another blast of flame toward Gerhard, but at the last moment Gunter interposes himself to take the blast for his prince and is burned to cinders. [I had no more traits to provide adversity so Lenny won the chapter, advancing one plot stage and completing his subplot. We decided that he resolved his "find a recipient" plot by choosing himself. Lenny also spent three of his bonus points to kill Gunter.] Disgusted that the prince was saved, but with his magic already taxed to its limits, The Elder limps away. [Since this is the first time that a supporting character has finished a subplot with the current spotlight/adversity selection mechanics we realized there are a few holes in the rules regarding what should happen next with the character. For example, as the rules are currently written it's impossible for Lenny to win spotlight again because he has no unresolved plot stages to put spotlight dice in.]

The star charts indicate that Lance’s seed is the protagonist seed and my first seed is the antagonist seed. The young man is a great protagonist, and we decide that he represents a farming community. We notice a potential connection between the star metal and the sword the antagonist is looking for, and between the lake of fire and the valley of fire. We decide that the lake of fire is in a cavern underneath the protagonist’s homeland, now known as Red Valley, and that there is a star metal sword in it which channels the powerful, dangerous magic of the Valley of Fire into a human guardian. The antagonist’s older brother is this generation’s proper recipient of the power. The antagonist wants the power for himself, but since he is not the proper recipient he will try to get it by taking the sword directly, which will unleash the uncontrolled power and destroy the community. The protagonist seed’s “future father-in-law” aspect leads us toward a romantic “get the girl” opening for the protagonist’s story, and we decide that the capstone of that could be the tarnishing of a silver wedding ring, an omen that will send him off to consult a sage and confront the bigger problems of the world. We pick the holder of the power from the previous generation, waiting to hand it off to its new recipient, as the supporting character. Since the power may not be successfully handed off, depending on how the antagonist and supporting character progress on their plot, we decide that the protagonist’s ultimate goal will be to extinguish the lake of fire, eliminating the threat once and for all.

Lance’s Protagonist:
Julian of Red Valley (visual reference: Paul Bettany)

d8 – Doggedly Stubborn
d6 – Genuinely Goodhearted
d6 – Country Boy
d4 – Mysterious Ring
Plot: Get the girl, Discover the significance of the ring, Extinguish the lake of fire.

Dan’s Antagonist:
Prince Gerhard (visual reference: Timothy Dalton as Prince Barin in Flash Gordon)

d8 – Cold and Calculating
d6 – Accomplished Liar
d6 – Peerless Duelist
d4 – Prince of the Realm
Plot: Assassinate the firstborn son, Discover the location of the sword, Get the sword.

Lenny’s Supporting Character:
The Elder, current wielder of the magic of the Valley of Fire (visual reference: Bruce Spence)

d8 – Flame Magic
d6 – Wizard’s Staff
d6 – Been There, Done That
d4 – Short Temper
Subplot: Find a recipient for the magic of the Valley of Fire.

Chapter 1
Spotlight: Lance 4. Dan 4. Lenny 10.
Adversity: Lance 8,3. Dan 10,8,6.

The Elder storms into the palace of Cresthaven, demanding an audience with the crown prince. [I spend my 10 to introduce my Prince Gerhard character into the chapter and activate two of his traits: Accomplished Liar and Cold and Calculating.] Gerhard lies [I'll be rolling a d6 for my Accomplished Liar trait] that his older brother Steffan is out among the poor of the city and The Elder should search for him out there. [Lenny spends his 10 to activate his Been There, Done That and Short Temper traits.]  The short-tempered Elder [Lenny will be rolling a d4 for his Short Temper trait] demands that the crown prince be brought to him, since he has already journeyed far and is in no mood for further inconvenience. [Roll dice for exchange 1: Lenny 4 vs. Dan 1. Lenny wins and my Accomplished Liar is exhausted. Lenny bumps his Short Temper up to a d6.] The Elder shouts Gerhard down, demanding that the crown prince be brought to him at once. Gerhard offers apologies and suggests that The Elder wait in the dining room while they fetch the crown prince, calculating [Cold and Calculating d8] that The Elder will overindulge as usual and eat and drink himself to sleep. The Elder’s long experience [Been There, Done That d6] should let him handle it [Roll dice for exchange 2: Lenny 2 vs. Dan 4. I win, Lenny exhausts. I bump Lenny's Short Temper back down to d4], but he notices that the cooking has improved considerably since the last time he was here, stuffs himself, and falls into a deep sleep.

The next day, Gerhard tells The Elder that the crown prince tried to meet with him during the night but The Elder wouldn’t wake up for him, calculating [d8] that The Elder will be too embarrassed to cause more commotion. The Elder, his anger evident [Short Temper d4], says that his business is more important than any affairs of state that might be occupying the prince. [Roll dice for exchange 3: Lenny 4 vs. Dan 2. Lenny wins, I exhaust. Lenny bumps Short Temper to d6]  The Elder flies into a rage that intimidates Gerhard. [I spend my 8 to activate Accomplished Liar]. Gerhard lies [d6] that there is a fire at the granary and The Elder should go put a stop to it. Still angry [Short Temper d6], The Elder says that his business is far more urgent and important than a fire. [Roll dice for exchange 4: Lenny 6 vs. Dan 3. Lenny wins, I exhaust. Lenny bumps Short Temper to d8]. The Elder calls Gerhard on his lie. [I spend my 6 to activate Cold and Calculating]. Gerhard admits that he was trying to distract The Elder, claiming that the crown prince is afflicted with plague and they’ve been hiding him in a plague-house in the city. Gerhard begins leading The Elder to a plague house, calculating [d8] that he’ll be able to lose him in the crowd. The Elder gets angrier and angrier the longer the journey takes [Short Temper d8], complaining the whole way. [Roll for exchange 5: Lenny 3 vs. Dan 4. I win, both exhaust. Since there are no active traits to bump I get one bonus point]. Gerhard leads The Elder to a plague house and then slips out the back way. [I need to present more adversity, but I have no active traits and no story dice to buy more, so Lenny wins the chapter and gets to narrate the conclusion]. The Elder, fuming, realizes that Gerhard is up to something and vows not to be fooled again. [Lenny won the chapter as the spotlight player so he advances one stage along his plot.]

Chapter 2
Spotlight: Lance 20. Dan 7. Lenny 6.
Adversity: Dan 4,2,1. Lenny 15,8.

Julian is in Red Valley on market day. He has arranged a meeting with Klaus in order to ask permission to court his daughter. [Lenny spends his 15 to create and introduce Klaus. The 15 would normally allow Lenny to activate four character traits, but since this is a new NPC that hasn't been statted out he gets less traits than usual due to the creation tax. Since the future father-in-law mentioned on a seed the creation tax is one, so Lenny gets to activate three traits instead of four. He chooses Protective, Artisan, and Gruff.]

Klaus
d8 – Protective
d6 – Artisan
d6 – Gruff
d4 – Hardy Folk

Klaus, protective of his daughter Astrid’s heart [d8], orders Julian to shop for her to prove that he knows her well. Julian realizes what a daunting task this is, but stubbornly [d8] goes forward anyway, trying to find things that she would actually like [Genuinely Goodhearted d6] rather than things that would impress her father. [Roll for exchange 1: Lance 5,1 vs. Lenny 5. Lance wins bus Lance exhausts. Lance bumps Klaus's Protective to d6]. Julian walks through the marketplace, selecting items which are simple but of good quality, knowing that’s what Astrid prefers. Klaus is impressed, but says that Astrid is a craftsman’s daughter [Artisan d6] and appreciates fine workmanship. He orders Julian to tell him which of the items would make the best gift [Protective d6]. Julian eyes the items while fingering the silver ring in his pocket [Mysterious Ring d4], knowing that’s the gift he’d truly like to give to Astrid. [Roll for exchange 2: Lance 1 vs. Lenny 2,1. Lenny wins, both exhaust. Lenny bumps Country Boy down to d4]. Julian doesn’t have the nerve, and Klaus pounces on his hesitation. “No man who lacks conviction will have my daughter!” Klaus, never one to mince words [Gruff d6] says, “If you have something to show, you should show it.” Julian reluctantly pulls the ring from his pocket. “I would choose to gift her with this, but I think the most important thing I can offer is that I was born of this country and know the woods, know the hills, know the farms [Country Boy d4], and would give her the true heart of a Red Valley man.” [Roll for exchange 3: Lance 2 vs. Lenny 1. Lance wins, both exhaust. There are no active traits, so Lance gets a bonus point.] Although Klaus doesn’t grant permission to court Astrid, Julian can tell that Klaus is warming up to him. Klaus says, “Son, when I was your age, I courted my wife by breaking into her father’s stable, stealing his best horse, and running it ragged across the country daring him to stop me. You’re a nice kid, but I want to see your spirit. Now buy these things and give them to my daughter.” He walks away, leaving Julian holding a bunch of items that he’s not sure he can afford. [Lenny had story dice to activate a trait to offer more adversity but Lance was out of traits and didn't have story dice to activate more, so Lenny wins the chapter. He narrated the conclusion and, since he won a chapter as adversity player, he gets to add an extra spotlight die to his plot track. He takes the d12 for his second plot stage, the one he's currently working on.]

Chapter 3
Spotlight: Lance 12. Dan 9. Lenny 12,10.
Adversity: Lance 8,1. Dan 11,10,1.

Fed up dealing with functionaries, The Elder returns to the palace, expecting to talk to the king directly, [I spend my 1 to  introduce Prince Gerhard and activate his Cold and Calculating trait] but he finds Prince Gerhard sitting on the throne. Believing that The Elder’s pride is his weakness, Gerhard calculates [d8] that he can humiliate him in front of the assembled nobles. [Lenny spends his 10 to activate Wizard's Staff and Flame Magic]. The Elder pounds his staff [d6] on the ground, sending up a blast of magical flame [d8], saying that he is immensely powerful and should not be trifled with. [Roll for exchange 1: Lenny 4,1 vs. Dan 6. Dan wins, Lenny exhausts. The only active trait is already at its maximum die size so I get a bonus point.] Gerhard says, “Don’t you remember that you met my brother last night? Have you gone senile? Is this what we have to look forward to, a foolish old man who’s lost his wits, with more power than he knows what to do with?” Clearly, Gerhard’s plan to undermine The Elder with the nobility is working, and he is confident that he can push as hard as he wants because he believes that The Elder would never strike down someone of royal blood [Cold and Calculating d8]. [Lenny spends his 12 to activate Short Temper and Been There, Done That] The Elder, having dealt with politicians before [Been There, Done That d6] suggests that if he is losing his mind the proper reaction is fear and obedience [Short Temper d4]. [Roll for exchange 2: Lenny 6,4 vs. Dan 4. Lenny wins, neither exhaust. Lenny bumps Been There, Done That to d8]. The nobles realize that The Elder is dangerous and should not be mocked. [I spend my 10 to activate Peerless Duelist and Acoomplished Liar.] Gerhard leaps from the throne, draws his sword [Peerless Duelist d6], and holds it to The Elder’s neck. Calculating [d8] that The Elder is bluffing, Gerhard says, “You think you’re the only one with a temper, old man? Perhaps you’d better rethink what you’re saying.” The Elder rolls his eyes, wishing that the children who rule kingdoms would learn not to trifle with wizards of his power [Been There, Done That d8], and his anger nears the boiling point [Short Temper d4]. [Roll for exchange 3: Lenny 2,2 vs. Dan 7,6. Dan wins, Lenny exhausts. (I should have bumped something here but didn't do it explicitly, since I knew the chapter was winding down)]. The Elder sees the cold look in Gerhard’s eyes and knows he won’t back down. Twenty years ago, The Elder would have easily been able to defeat Gerhard, but today he isn’t so sure. Is he too old for this? He backs down and apologizes for creating such a scene. [I win the chapter as adversity player, so I take a d10 spotlight die for my first plot stage].

Chapter 4
Spotlight: Lance 19. Dan 6,4. Lenny 6,3.
Adversity: Dan 12,11,1. Lenny 6,4.

Julian, hoping to prove himself worthy of Astrid, is out hunting a predator that has been taking out local livestock. [I spend my 1 to introduce a passive environmental threat: hard and trackless ground]. There aren’t any tracks on the cold, hard ground [d4]. [Lance spends his 19 to activate all four of his traits] A country boy [d6] like Julian knows more ways to track than just studying footprints [Roll for exchange 1: Lance 2 vs. Dan 4. I win, neither exhaust. I bump my Hard Ground to d6], but they don’t seem to work either. With no way to track it across the hard ground [d6], Julian stubbornly [d8] begins checking every place the thing might attack. [Roll for exchange 2: Lance 4 vs. Dan 6. I win, neither exhaust. (Looks like I forgot to bump a trait)]. [I spend my 11 to introduce an active threat, a wolf.] The cries of a wolf [d6] are heard in the distance across vast stretches of hard, stony ground [d6]. Julian, a stubborn [d8] country boy [d6], starts running after the sound as hard as he can. [Roll for exchange 3: Lance 4,1 vs. Dan 3,1. Lance wins, both exhaust]. Julian sees it and gets off a shot with his bow, mortally wounding the wolf. It takes off into the woods and Julian follows the blood trail to find the creature dead just outside a hole in an embankment from which he can hear pitiful sounds. [I spend my 12 to bring Klaus into the chapter. Since it's plausible but unexpected for him to also be out hunting for the wolf I pay a plausibility tax of one, so I can only activate one trait instead of two. I choose Protective]. Klaus, also hunting the wolf to protect [d8] his family, steps out of the woods. “So, Julian,” he says. “Are you going to kill all of them?” Julian isn’t comfortable with the idea of killing the pups [Genuinely Goodhearted d6]. [Roll for exchange 4: Lance 6 vs. Dan 1. Lance wins, I exhaust. (We forgot to bump a trait again)] “No, I’ve eliminated the threat,” Julian says. “These pups can be relocated, and then it will be up to nature whether they live or die.” Klaus doesn’t say anything, but gives Julian his hunting vest to wrap up and carry the pups, an unspoken gesture of approval. Julian moves them to a new den, far enough away that they won’t threaten the community. [I don't have any active traits or any more story dice, so Lance wins the chapter as the spotlight character. He advances one stage along his plot.]

• The similarities and differences between the way the alignment track works for PCs and NPCs is potentially confusing
• The “world creation” example needs character created from “fact about the world” style seeds
• Distribute the world creation example through part 1 rather than all at the end
• The 3-stage/segment 3-segment/plot relationship needs clarity earlier in the rules
• Talk about some of the asymmetries and reasons behind them explicitly rather than trusting everyone to pick up the subtleties
• Clarify the that only adversity player gets extra spotlight dice for winning chapter — lots of people seem confused by that
• Rewrite the Dark Mirror example to eliminate LOTR semi-references
• Add summary tables along with the rules in addition to quick-reference chart at the end
• Bring active/passive explanations from glossary into main rules text
• Analyze the probabilities (especially that d20 — everyone seems concerned about it)
• Consider using colored dice rather than die sizes to differentiate story/action dice