Player Characters

Distribute 12 points among the three Attributes: Body, Mind, and Will. These are their maximum values.
Harmful effects reduce Attributes; an Attribute at least half its maximum is considered Stable.

Choose a Background from the chosen Setting, which outlines capabilities and Approach bonuses.

Scenes

Sessions are divided into Scenes, resolved when a goal is achieved, determined by the GM.

When a visual layout is needed, divide a Scene into broad narrative Zones.
In general, there should be fewer Zones in a Scene than Players.

When a Scene is complex enough that Approaches need to be ordered, use Rounds.
Each Round, characters act in turn blocks:

• PCs with all Stable Attributes act first.
• NPCs act next.
• Remaining PCs act last.

Approaches

Within Scenes, characters describe their actions as a broad Approach: their goal and how they try to achieve it.

An Approach is based on an Attribute and assigned a Rating, starting at 1 and adding +1 for each that applies:

• The Attribute is currently Stable
• Any Background bonuses apply
• Any situational bonuses apply

The Rating will be between 1 and 4; roll that many d12 and use the single highest die for the outcome:

• 1–3: Major Failure, narrated by the GM.
• 4–6: Minor Failure, narrated by the Player.
• 7–9: Mixed Success, narrated by the GM.
• 10–12: Full Success, narrated by the Player.

The GM determines Difficulty based on circumstances and NPC abilities:

• Easy Approaches only Major Fail on a result of 1.
• Hard Approaches only Full Succeed on a result of 12.

Harm

Harmful outcomes can lower the value of an Attribute by 1, determined by the narration of an Approach.

Once an Attribute reaches 0, the character is Taken Out, and cannot act within the scene. Based on Attribute:

• Body: the character is incapacitated.
• Mind: the character is confused and unable to think clearly.
• Will: the character is overcome with despair and unable to act.

At the end of a Scene, Characters that are Taken Out restore 1 Attribute point in any that are at 0.

At the end of a Scene in which characters rest:

• Restore Unstable Attributes to the lowest Stable value (half of its maximum).
• Restore Stable Attributes to their maximum.

A healing Approach can restore 1 Attribute point.

Non-Player Characters

NPCs have the same Attributes as PCs, but grouped into Levels for their total points:

• 3 Minor: nameless or scene-filling mooks
• 6 Average: random encounters, background characters
• 9 Moderate: named characters with goals of their own
• 12 Major: important characters central to the plot

Settings contain notes for NPCs’ abilities:

• A brief about what actions they’re capable of
• Things they’re bad or good at (Easy or Hard to act against)