Reactions
The referee will roll to determine the encounter target’s starting disposition. This may be affected by previous player actions, items they have, or other in-world events. The typical dispositions are:
- Hostile: immediate action. Fight or flight
- Distrustful: does not immediately attack but does treat the players with either fear, disdain, contempt, etc. They don’t view the players positively and may try to scare them off (e.g. growling, banging shields, etc.)
- Neutral: indifferent to the players, acknowledges them but ignores them unless prompted
- Interested: wants to at least hear the players out (if intelligent) or find out more about them. May smell, ask questions, or do other things to suss out the best options. Not necessarily positive but not inherently negative either
- Favorable: will work with the players and inclined to trade, follow, or take other positive actions with the players as fits their goals
After being told how potential opponents appear to react to the player’s appearance, the players may take their own actions.
Battles
When battle breaks out, PCs and NPCs must be prepared to fight. These rules explain how combat should be managed.
- Actions: most simple actions can be taken during combat. For example, you can attack an enemy, cast a spell, flip a table, swap a worn item.
- Surprise: Characters caught unaware at the beginning of an encounter have a 2-in-6 chance of being surprised when meeting
- Surprise: Determine surprise, if applicable.
- Initiative: Any sides that are not surprised roll initiative to determine who acts first.
- Actions: Any sides that are not surprised decide how they will respond to the encounter. The encounter is played out accordingly.
- Conclusion: One turn has passed.
Initiative
One player rolls 2d6. If they roll equal to or above 7 (“winning initiative”), declare intentions after and move before or after opponents. If they roll below 7 (“losing initiative”), declare actions before opponents and move on the option not taken by the other side. Surprised groups automatically lose initiatve.
Whenever the side with initiative fails a morale test, initiatve switches.
Order of Events
After determining initiative, actions take place in the following phase order:
- Declare if you will be casting a spell, reciting a mantra, or bracing/charging
- Ranged attacks resolve simultaneously
- Movement is resolved in order
- Melee attacks and stunts simultaneously
- Spells and mantras resolve simultaneously
- Evaluate morale