2026-05-28 10:41:55muragami:
Rename GM to Director
regulus/3r - regulus rules-lite reference.md ..
@@ 8,13 8,13 @@
## Narrative Matters
-
In Regulus, narrative matters. The narration of the story centers on the player’s characters, particularly the critical moments of choice they make throughout the story. Daily normal happenings do not warrant narration at all. We are not concerned with the characters washing their hands or handling everyday pressures like paying routine bills. This said, the flow of narration is a give-and-take between the GM and the players, as they narrate the character’s story.
+
In Regulus, narrative matters. The narration of the story centers on the player’s characters, particularly the critical moments of choice they make throughout the story. Daily normal happenings do not warrant narration at all. We are not concerned with the characters washing their hands or handling everyday pressures like paying routine bills. This said, the flow of narration is a give-and-take between the Director and the players, as they narrate the character’s story.
-
Most of the time, narration is a smooth conversation about the fiction. The players decide on their characters' actions and narrate them, and the GM replies with narrative about the world around the characters. Suddenly, something interesting will happen. A character might attempt something risky where the outcome is in question. Something might befall a character in an important way, and the outcome is in question. These moments lead to Contests and Challenges below.
+
Most of the time, narration is a smooth conversation about the fiction. The players decide on their characters' actions and narrate them, and the Director replies with narrative about the world around the characters. Suddenly, something interesting will happen. A character might attempt something risky where the outcome is in question. Something might befall a character in an important way, and the outcome is in question. These moments lead to Contests and Challenges below.
-
Narrative matters in Regulus because it impacts characters’ stories. A narration often changes a situation in a profound and impactful way. Sometimes this just happens. A player or GM might narrate something with such impact. A narration isn’t canon to the story immediately. It can be disputed. When a dispute occurs, you use the rules for Contests of Challenges below to resolve it.
+
Narrative matters in Regulus because it impacts characters’ stories. A narration often changes a situation in a profound and impactful way. Sometimes this just happens. A player or Director might narrate something with such impact. A narration isn’t canon to the story immediately. It can be disputed. When a dispute occurs, you use the rules for Contests of Challenges below to resolve it.
-
The GM also has two other tools in their arsenal to assist in the flow of narration. These are Checks and Tests, which are quick rolls that can inform the narrative based on the situation at hand.
+
The Director also has two other tools in their arsenal to assist in the flow of narration. These are Checks and Tests, which are quick rolls that can inform the narrative based on the situation at hand.
## Contests
@@ 26,7 26,7 @@
Now we reach a point where the character either has Means or not for the contest. If they do not have Means they will roll a single six-sided die for the contest. If they have Means, they decided to roll one, two, or three dice depending on the amount of effort & risk they accept for the contest. The more dice the greater the chance of getting what they want, but also the greater the chance of dice coming up a 1 and creating issues.
-
Now, the GM determines if this is a **Sudden** contest. If a contest is Sudden, the player skips the find leverage step. If it isn't Sudden, then the player finds leverage. This means if they have more rules on their sheet that can apply in this situation, they get advantage on their roll for each one, with a maximum of three. For each advantage, the player can choose one of the options for the rolls below:
+
Now, the Director determines if this is a **Sudden** contest. If a contest is Sudden, the player skips the find leverage step. If it isn't Sudden, then the player finds leverage. This means if they have more rules on their sheet that can apply in this situation, they get advantage on their roll for each one, with a maximum of three. For each advantage, the player can choose one of the options for the rolls below:
- The final result gets a +1 bonus.
- You may discard a single result of 1 from the roll.
@@ 49,15 49,15 @@
The outcome on the result table is a direct indicator if the player gets what they want for their character. That said, each result that isn't as simple as **No** or **Yes** needs some clarity:
-
- **Maybe**: Things got complicated, and the outcome isn't immediately in favor of the character. The GM creates the complication in narration, and the player can either accept a result of **No**, or push the contest. If choosing to push, re-roll with one more die (max of 3) and move right on the rolling table if possible (Favored becomes Means, Means becomes No Means).
-
- **Possibly**: An issue has arisen. The GM (or player with GM approval) creates an interesting issue that results from the narrative of the contest and then either accepts that issue to earn a **Yes** result or does not and takes a **No**. Taking a No avoids the issue.
+
- **Maybe**: Things got complicated, and the outcome isn't immediately in favor of the character. The Director creates the complication in narration, and the player can either accept a result of **No**, or push the contest. If choosing to push, re-roll with one more die (max of 3) and move right on the rolling table if possible (Favored becomes Means, Means becomes No Means).
+
- **Possibly**: An issue has arisen. The Director (or player with Director approval) creates an interesting issue that results from the narrative of the contest and then either accepts that issue to earn a **Yes** result or does not and takes a **No**. Taking a No avoids the issue.
- **! - Exclamation**: This is narrative code for 'and'. A **Yes!** result is 'Yes, and ...' where the player gets even more than they wanted in the end. **No!** is 'No, and ...' where not only did the player not get what they want but now an issue is narrated (like Possibly but no choice here).
-
- **Hell No**: Where to start! Well this result has gone sideways in the kind of way where the character might be telling stories about the incident for years to come. Crowd source this kind of disaster of an outcome with the playing group with GM as final approval.
+
- **Hell No**: Where to start! Well this result has gone sideways in the kind of way where the character might be telling stories about the incident for years to come. Crowd source this kind of disaster of an outcome with the playing group with Director as final approval.
**Paying Luck**:
- If the contest is deemed Sudden, but the player feels the contest is very important for the character, they can still find leverage if they are willing to pay 1 level of Luck. In this case they get the 'Use the favored die table for the roll' option for free, plus what they can leverage for the roll.
-
- If the contest has no Means, the player may pay 1 level of Luck to create Means for the contest. The GM and player create a lucky circumstance that provides means for the contest.
+
- If the contest has no Means, the player may pay 1 level of Luck to create Means for the contest. The Director and player create a lucky circumstance that provides means for the contest.
## Challenges
@@ 76,33 76,33 @@
Checks are handled simply: the player rolls two six-sided dice, adds them together, and adds their Rating Level. If the total of the dice and Level is 10+ (or higher for difficult checks), they pass.
-
The exact meaning of success or failure is determined by the GM, given the narrative. For the tickets example, the character would not be able to secure the tickets and would need to find another way into the gala.
+
The exact meaning of success or failure is determined by the Director, given the narrative. For the tickets example, the character would not be able to secure the tickets and would need to find another way into the gala.
-
**Difficulty**: The Difficulty of a Check depends on how high the GM sets the bar for success. The GM should think in terms of reasons, each reason being one aspect of the Check that makes it harder to pass. The basic rule is that for each reason that hinders the character, add 2 to the target number, never exceeding 16. To continue the ‘tickets to the gala’ example, if the GM decides it is ‘THE gala of the year’, that would be a reason to increase the target from 10 to 12.
+
**Difficulty**: The Difficulty of a Check depends on how high the Director sets the bar for success. The Director should think in terms of reasons, each reason being one aspect of the Check that makes it harder to pass. The basic rule is that for each reason that hinders the character, add 2 to the target number, never exceeding 16. To continue the ‘tickets to the gala’ example, if the Director decides it is ‘THE gala of the year’, that would be a reason to increase the target from 10 to 12.
## Tests
-
A Test resolves a simple question in the fiction. A Test is warranted for simple situations. Complicated ones are resolved with Contests and Challenges above. Usually, the framework for a Test is the player asking the GM a question. Here is an example:
+
A Test resolves a simple question in the fiction. A Test is warranted for simple situations. Complicated ones are resolved with Contests and Challenges above. Usually, the framework for a Test is the player asking the Director a question. Here is an example:
::: info
-
==GM==: Iris sits at a bar, admiring the assortment of liquor behind the bartender, when suddenly a drink is slid in front of her by Evan, an associate of hers with a less-than-stellar reputation.
+
==Director==: Iris sits at a bar, admiring the assortment of liquor behind the bartender, when suddenly a drink is slid in front of her by Evan, an associate of hers with a less-than-stellar reputation.
==Iris’ Player==: Can Iris identify the drink and if it might be doctored?
-
==GM==: Possibly, does anything on your sheet give you Means?
+
==Director==: Possibly, does anything on your sheet give you Means?
==Iris’ Player==: She has the quality: Impressive Extra-Sensory Perception?
-
==GM==: Sure, that works. Roll a die 3+ or mark down Luck to succeed automatically.
+
==Director==: Sure, that works. Roll a die 3+ or mark down Luck to succeed automatically.
==Iris’ Player==: I’ll roll. That’s a 5, made it!
-
==GM==: Iris gets a flash of Evan getting the drink from the bartender a few minutes, a sweet kind of concoction Evan thinks Iris might like, no tampering at all.
+
==Director==: Iris gets a flash of Evan getting the drink from the bartender a few minutes, a sweet kind of concoction Evan thinks Iris might like, no tampering at all.
:::
-
Tests are a simple die roll that succeeds on 4+ at the start. If a player has clear Means to succeed, decrease the target by one: 3+. If they can leverage more, reduce again: 2+. If the GM feels the test is particularly hard or unlikely, they may shift it up one: 5+ to start.
+
Tests are a simple die roll that succeeds on 4+ at the start. If a player has clear Means to succeed, decrease the target by one: 3+. If they can leverage more, reduce again: 2+. If the Director feels the test is particularly hard or unlikely, they may shift it up one: 5+ to start.
-
Success means the character gets the answer to their question properly and accurately. Failure means the character gets the opinion of the GM instead, for better or worse.
+
Success means the character gets the answer to their question properly and accurately. Failure means the character gets the opinion of the Director instead, for better or worse.
**Luck**: For any test a player may opt to mark down Luck to succeed without rolling, or mark up Luck to fail without rolling.
@@ 110,27 110,27 @@
Strings are the main way in which the rules support the core idea of narrative matters. A String at its core is a short phrase or single sentence with impact on one or more characters. Let’s explore a simple example String: ‘Hunted by Inspector Luther’. This String establishes a narrative state or condition. Now let’s attach a character to the string, after a colon: ‘Hunted by Inspector Luther: Iris’. This means that Iris (player character) is affected by the String's condition.
-
The GM has implicit authority to introduce Strings into the game, though they should also be willing to allow dispute and resolution via Contest or Challenge if a player can make a valid argument for that case. Players can introduce Strings into the game via the Yes! (and Yes!!) results in Contests. This occurs at the end of the Contest or Situation (enclosing the Contest).
+
The Director has implicit authority to introduce Strings into the game, though they should also be willing to allow dispute and resolution via Contest or Challenge if a player can make a valid argument for that case. Players can introduce Strings into the game via the Yes! (and Yes!!) results in Contests. This occurs at the end of the Contest or Situation (enclosing the Contest).
-
If a Player wants to introduce a String outside the result of a Contest, the GM should decide if it’s possible. If so, then the GM should set up fictional conditions that must be achieved to establish the String. Let’s explore how that works with an example.
+
If a Player wants to introduce a String outside the result of a Contest, the Director should decide if it’s possible. If so, then the Director should set up fictional conditions that must be achieved to establish the String. Let’s explore how that works with an example.
::: info
-
==GM==: Iris returns to her room on Arctus 3, thinking idly about the precarious situation she has gotten into: Inspector Luther is clearly hunting her down, but at least he isn't on this haven right now.
+
==Director==: Iris returns to her room on Arctus 3, thinking idly about the precarious situation she has gotten into: Inspector Luther is clearly hunting her down, but at least he isn't on this haven right now.
==Iris’ Player==: Could Iris be protected by a local Empire security officer?
-
==GM==: Hmmm. Ok, that is interesting for sure. You'd want to create a String for that, like: 'Empire security officer Decipher protects Network Operatives: Iris'.
+
==Director==: Hmmm. Ok, that is interesting for sure. You'd want to create a String for that, like: 'Empire security officer Decipher protects Network Operatives: Iris'.
==Iris’ Player==: How does that work? I mean, what do I do to make that happen.
-
==GM==: How about you meet with Decipher or his assistant, and we roleplay that out?
+
==Director==: How about you meet with Decipher or his assistant, and we roleplay that out?
==Iris’ Player==: Sounds good to me!
-
==GM==: Iris makes a vidcall and sets up a meeting with Decipher's assistant Kris on Miranda. Miranda is a true neutral place where the power is all in the hands of Operatives, for better or worse.
+
==Director==: Iris makes a vidcall and sets up a meeting with Decipher's assistant Kris on Miranda. Miranda is a true neutral place where the power is all in the hands of Operatives, for better or worse.
:::
-
Strings can be marked (each a markdown or markup) and have a level. When a String is introduced, it is level 0. Strings that conflict and are of the same level don’t resolve, but the GM and player can use them as Means or leverage in Contests & Challenges. Strings that exceed the level of another trump them. When a String has three marks, they are removed, and it resolves. If it has more markup marks, it increases by one level of truth. If it has more markdown marks, it decreases one level of truth. If a String hits -1 level of Truth it becomes a special String called a Lie that the GM gets to use in play from that point on.
+
Strings can be marked (each a markdown or markup) and have a level. When a String is introduced, it is level 0. Strings that conflict and are of the same level don’t resolve, but the Director and player can use them as Means or leverage in Contests & Challenges. Strings that exceed the level of another trump them. When a String has three marks, they are removed, and it resolves. If it has more markup marks, it increases by one level of truth. If it has more markdown marks, it decreases one level of truth. If a String hits -1 level of Truth it becomes a special String called a Lie that the Director gets to use in play from that point on.
