Narrative Resolution

The system resolves uncertainty through fiction, intent, positioning, and consequences. It is not built around mandatory initiative, attack rolls, Armor Class, saving throws, action points, or damage formulas. Do not add those fields to an Enemy, Skill, or Spell unless the system is intentionally redesigned as a whole.

Checks

First decide whether a roll is needed. Obvious actions succeed or fail from the established fiction. Routine production, weather, daily ticks, visitor checks, and ordinary NPC reactions are background mechanics, not player-facing checks. When the outcome is genuinely uncertain, choose one ability and a justified DC of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30.

The basic check is:

d20 + floor((ability score - 10) / 2) + relevant general modifiers

Strength covers force and endurance of effort; Dexterity precision, balance, speed, and quiet movement; Constitution stamina, pain, poison, and exhaustion; Intelligence analysis and mechanisms; Wisdom awareness, intuition, and danger; Charisma persuasion, deception, leadership, and negotiation. Advantage keeps the higher of two d20s; disadvantage keeps the lower. They do not stack, and opposing effects cancel. Natural 1 and 20 are not automatic failure or success on ordinary checks.

A player-facing roll must use the registered roll tool. Never simulate a result or hide a required roll inside narration.

Dangerous scenes

A conflict begins with an objective and stakes, not a turn order. Establish what the enemy wants, what the player wants, important positions, visible tells, and what changes if either side succeeds. Resolve one meaningful intention at a time as full success, success with a clear cost, or failure with a meaningful complication.

A cost may be HP, Mana, exposure, a condition, lost position, collateral damage, time, attention, or a new threat. A failed action should normally change the situation rather than produce no result. End the scene when its objective is achieved, the threat changes, or the parties withdraw. Victory may mean escape, rescue, protection, negotiation, capture, interruption, discovery, or forcing a retreat—not only killing an opponent.

Abilities

Skills and Spells are separate files referenced from a Character. Their mechanic explains the primary scene change; range describes narrative reach; mpCost is paid when the ability actually activates; damage is a qualitative benchmark; and effects is the authoritative description of target, scope, duration, limitations, cost, and consequences. Write None when an ability does not harm HP. Do not turn a broad description into unlimited power.

A strong ability record tells the table what changes, who or what it can affect, how far it reaches, how long it lasts, what it costs, what limits it, and what can go wrong. Evolution is represented by a linked chain: the old ability points forward, the new ability points back, and the Character list is updated only after the new form exists.

Enemies and threats

An Enemy needs a goal, instinct, presence, tells, limits, vulnerability, and aftermath. narrativeEndurance should describe meaningful setbacks, not a hidden second HP system. A Threat is a wider settlement problem; defeating its Enemy does not automatically resolve the Threat. Always leave a visible path to change the situation and at least one meaningful alternative to direct violence.