I enjoyed reading through the ruleset and was attracted to both the themes, setting and playstyle, but in its present incarnation I'm a little foggy as to how the game moves forward after the first scene: in a nutshell, the mechanics surrounding the action cards!
But yes, this is a wonderful game and you should be proud of what you have achieved here. Have you playtested it yet? I'd be most intrigued to read a report of a session!
Thank you! No, I haven't been able to playtest this yet but am hoping to do so soon. I will also likely post an update soon (after voting closes for the MegaRPG jam) to hopefully clarify the mechanics and give a few more examples.
To summarise how it's supposed to work:
1) Each player has 5 cards: a Character Card, a Bond Card and 3 Action Cards. These are selected during character creation.
2) Each scene (which could be a new environment or just a new element or character) has a Scene Card associated with it.
3) Players can complete basic/low risk actions without any card mechanics coming into play. If an action has a risk of failure, resolution occurs as follows: any player taking an action puts forward one of their Action Cards (multiple players can do this), which is then shuffled with the Scene Card and, optionally, 1 or more random cards from the deck (Complication Cards). The randomly selected card determines the result of the action.
4) If the action failed and/or had a cost, 1 or more cards are removed from play at the end of the draw. Otherwise, all cards are returned to the players. A new Scene Card is then drawn to progress the story.
As an example, let's say that we're playing a scenario where the players are investigating a mystery. They have a strong suspicion that the baker, Esme, is hiding something. Here are a few actions that might occur:
Action 1: gathering information. The Villagers are asking gentle questions at this point and have not drawn attention to themselves, therefore this is not a risky action. The players decide how they wish to proceed and the Invoker draws a Scene Card (2 of Pentacles) to represent the character they approach.
Action 2: a risky interaction. Let's say the Villagers are interacting with someone that Esme has blackmailed, and are trying to peacefully convince them to share what they know. This interaction could go either way. Two players put forward compelling emotional appeals - one offering help and protection (King of Pentacles) and the other arguing the need to avoid further victims (Judgement). The Invoker shuffles the Scene Card (2 of Pentacles) with the Action Cards and randomly selects one. The Judgement card is selected, so the character is convinced that they have a duty to tell their story.
Action 3: breaking and entering. The Villagers decides to investigate Esme's house - this is risky both due to the danger of being caught and because they don't know what they'll find inside. Let's say they make it inside, but then find a suspicious locked door. One character decides to try to break the lock: in addition to the possibility of failure, there are risks of complications here (drawing attention, triggering a trap, leaving signs behind etc). The Invoker shuffles the Scene Card with the Action Card and 2 Complication Cards. A Complication Card is drawn - the Eight of Wands (movement / action / swift response / brief opportunity). The Invoker says that the door opens, but loudly, and the Villagers hear the sounds of someone approaching to investigate. The Villagers hurry into the room.
Hope that helps, and let me know if you have any other thoughts!
It's lost forever, or at least until the end of the session. But players can share their cards, and the Invoker can also give out 3 cards. Finally, if a Complication Card is selected in a draw and is read as a particularly positive result, the Invoker can grant that card as an extra Action Card.
If a player loses all of their Action Cards and doesn't receive any more, they're out of the game - but that shouldn't happen unless they're taking serious risks, remembering that each player is only putting forward one Action Card at a time and that most checks don't involve risk of losing one.
I might rework this later, so let me know if you have any thoughts!
