The Game System

Dice & Difficulty

Roll a d20 and add relevant bonuses (attribute, skill/training, gear, situational). Compare to a Target Number (TN) set by the Guide or listed by the action.

Advantages/complications appear as flat modifiers, positioning, or rules inside the action/spell/item you use.

Attributes & Life Points

Eight attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, Intelligence, Wisdom, Perception, Charisma, Appearance. Ranges scale from human to legendary.

Life Points (LP): derived from your build. Track injury and endurance. (Your sheet/class kit lists the exact formula.)

Alignment Duality

Two sliding meters respond to your choices:

• Good ↔ Evil (−10 … +10)
• Order ↔ Chaos (−10 … +10)

Your position can gate vows, rites, devices, or items; shift outcomes; and unlock story beats tied to Orders and artifacts.

Time, Initiative & Action Points

• Lower acts first. Initiative is a running time track.
• When you act, add the action’s time/AP cost to your initiative total.
• Next to act is whoever has the lowest initiative after costs are applied.

Your build (attributes, training, gear) influences how often you can act and how “fast” actions resolve.

Optional tempo tweak: AP Roll — at the start of your turn you may roll a d20 to modify this round’s action costs. Two variants (Standard / Reverse Gambit). The Guide may call a Tempo Shift to make everyone roll for one round. Movement-by-meter and per-AP investments aren’t modified; reactions use your current round’s result.

Attacks, Damage & Ranged Fire

• Attack: d20 + bonuses vs. the target’s TN/defense.
• Damage: roll weapon damage; apply armor/soak/resists as listed.
• Critical: an unmodified natural 20 on the attack grants an extra damage roll.
• Poor hits: low results may deal half damage (see weapon’s table).
• Range & speed: penalties apply at long distances and vs. fast targets (see range/speed table).

Magic (Mana)

• Pools: personal Mana + school pools (e.g., Magic Tech = Int + Per).
• Magic Power Roll: d20 + bonuses to resolve effects.
• Magic Resistance: below a threshold can be toggled; at MR 15+ it’s always on.
• Botch/Miscast: failed power rolls can twist effects; see each school’s table.
• Sustaining: ongoing effects require dedicated Mana while active.
• Learning limits & regen: defined per school.

Psychic

• No spell schools; uses a Psychic Pool (e.g., Int + Wis + Focus).
• Powers are Singular, Sustained, or Mundane.
• Psychic Battle: direct contests between psychics use opposed rules.
• Limits (canonical): no explosions or summons; self-alterations, weapon shaping, and perception control are valid within guardrails.

Technomancy & InsectoBots

• Lore & Ethics: Gaian rulings constrain harvesting; creation respects the living weave.
• Creation & Control: caps on active bots, command/activation, range, sensors, and sustained Mana per bot.
• Frames & Sizes: size tiers define weight, slots, and handling; species (spider/beetle/scorpion) trade different strengths.
• Enhancements: speed, jump, armor, elemental resistance, etc.—bounded by Techno Score and slot caps.
• Key spells/commands: creation, On/Off, speed/jump/armor/resist packages; device interfacing and field protocols.

Conditions, Rest & Recovery

Temporary states like Wounded, Shaken, and Exhausted impose penalties until addressed by rest, medkits, rites, or device work. Mana/Psychic resources recover per your regeneration rules.

Quick Reference

• Rolls: d20 + bonuses vs. TN.
• Critical: natural 20 on attack → extra damage roll.
• Initiative: lower acts first; add action time/AP after you act.
• Defense: armor/soak/resists by item or effect.
• Magic: pools + resistance + botch + dedicated Mana to sustain.
• Psychic: pool + focus; strict limits; psychic vs. psychic rules.
• Alignment: Good/Evil and Order/Chaos meters influence access and outcomes.