Hazard System (v0.
3)
The six-sided hazard die deploys threats, manages resources such as light, and
keeps time. It is the engine that drives gameplay forward, ensuring that choices
have consequences while minimizing bookkeeping. To take a turn, have a player roll
the hazard die and have the referee interpret the results relative to the current
turn type. During a turn, each player may take one full action. The general form of
the hazard die is:
1 2 3 4 5 6
Setback Fatigue Expiration Locality Percept
Advantage
Hazard Die Interpretations
Haven Turn Interpretation
d6 Result Interpretation
1 Setback Encounter (use regional table) or disaster (see below)
2 Fatigue Shortage (1 medicine, 2-3 drought, 4-5 famine, 6 trust)
3 Expiration Clear one or more haven conditions
4 Locality Advance season (or other local change)
5 Percept Foreshadow looming disaster
6 Advantage Full recovery
Wilderness Turn Interpretation
d6 Result Interpretation
1 Setback Encounter (use regional table) or road/bridge out
2 Fatigue Rest and consume rations (1/person) or suffer minor harm (1 HP)
3 Expiration Expire transient wilderness condition
4 Locality Shift weather (or other local change)
5 Percept Spoor or clue regarding next encounter
6 Advantage Free wilderness turn
Dungeon Turn Interpretation
d6 Result Interpretation
1 Setback Encounter (use zone table)
2 Fatigue Rest and consume rations (1/party) or suffer minor harm (1 HP)
3 Expiration Expire transient dungeon conditions (light, spell, etc)
4 Locality Shift dungeon state (or other local change)
5 Percept Spoor or clue regarding next encounter
6 Advantage Free dungeon turn
Combat Turn Interpretation
d6 Result Interpretation
1 Setback Opponents act first or additional encounter (use zone table)
2 Fatigue Suffer minor harm (1 HP) if engaged in melee
3 Expiration Expire transient combat conditions (light, burning, etc)
4 Locality Shift battlefield (or other local change)
5 Percept Spoor or clue regarding next encounter
6 Advantage Free combat turn
Some disasters (1d6):
1 invasion, 2 insurrection, 3 fire, 4 earthquake, 5 flood, 6 falling star
Some dungeon localities (1d6):
1 obstruction, 2-3 seal/open door, 4-5 divert water, 6 expose secret
Use common sense: ignore results that do not make fictional sense, but only the
first time
Keep time abstract: quantifying the details precisely is rarely worth the hassle
Moves and Conditions
Moves represent actions relevant to the current fictional context, such as
exploring a trackless stretch of swamp. Conditions represent persistence of a
transient state, such as adventurer exhaustion. Conditions can apply to areas,
parties, or individuals. Strictness tracking conditions is a matter of style.
Tokens can help. The lists of moves and conditions below below are suggestive
rather than complete. Improvise others as appropriate, according to referee ruling.
Haven turns represent several days or weeks of rest and recovery.
Free haven moves: advance/level up, prepare spells, recover, recruit, resupply
Full haven moves: craft gear, scribe scroll, conduct research
Haven conditions: curse, famine, pestilence, shortage, siege, winter
Wilderness turns represent travel and making camp, approximately one day and night.
Making a wilderness move requires consuming a ration or taking the exhausted
condition in addition to rolling the hazard die. If already exhausted, at the start
of a wilderness turn suffer minor harm (1 HP). Determine randomly whether setbacks
occur during day or night.
Free wilderness moves: access known landmark in current area, survey adjacent areas
Full wilderness moves: travel to adjacent area, search, explore, hunt, track
Wilderness conditions: exhausted, lost
Lost: Travel is no longer an option. Use search to locate a landmark, removing the
lost condition on success.
Dungeon turns represent exploration at architectural scale, approximately tens of
minutes or a few hours, assuming careful advance into hostile places.
Free dungeon moves: look under a rug, open unstuck door, pull lever
Full dungeon moves: climb, force a door, move to adjacent area, pick a lock, search
Dungeon conditions: candlelight, torchlight, overburdened
Combat turns represent tactical actions occuring over seconds or minutes.
Free combat moves: shout command, drop held item,
Full combat moves: shoot, spell, strike, throw, withdraw
Combat conditions: burning, defended, grappled, prone
