RUNNING SESSIONS

Pre-game: Adventurers may socialize, share blue-book encounters, review previous session notes, or finalize any downtime updates.

At the agreed time, begin playing the game:

Describe the scene and situation
Give each Adventurer, NPC, and Opponent their turn choosing what they will do in that situation
Resolve each choice or interaction according to the rules.
Loop back to step 1 to find out what happens next?

Describing The Scene

Many gaming groups employ “Theater of the Mind” simply describing the locations of everyone in the scene.

Groups who gather together physically may place battle maps or grids, with miniature figures to track location and situation during encounters.

Groups may also gather virtually using “virtual table top” (VTT) software or services to replace the physical table and maps with computerized versions.

All three methods may work together for some game groups, such as virtual table top software managing the map for a group gathered physically together via a shared screen or projector.

Within the scene or encounter, the Guide describes the overall situation.

What can be seen?
What can be heard?
What can be felt?
What can be smelled?
What can be tasted?
What can be sensed otherwise such as through “sixth sense”, intuition, or Special Effect (SFX) abilities.

The Guide should weave these into a story capturing that moment of the action for the Adventurers to imagine.

If the group uses physical or virtual table top maps, the Guide can update the locations and facing of NPCs or Opponents as well as any “fog of war” virtual map features if used.

The Adventurers' Turns

Once the scene is set, each Adventurer takes their turn, with the Guide taking the turns of the NPCs or Opponents in their time.

Before their turn, the Adventurer should prepare anything needed to decide possible choices of action, as well as keep track of everyone else's actions for situational awareness.

When its their turn, the Adventurer may ask anything needed to help choose their Adventurer's action in the moment, before they commit to a course of action.

The Adventurer then describes their chosen action in the form of a story about their Adventurer.

Resolving The Action

If there is a chance of failure for the action, an interaction with an NPC, or conflict with an Opponent, then the success or failure of the chosen action may require a dice roll against an Ability, Skill, or Special Effect to resolve.

The Guide works with the Adventurer to describe the result of the chosen action in the form of a additional story.

If used, maps are updated as necessary for each action and its result such as moving miniatures or tokens, changing facing, or altering terrain, objects, or visibility as necessary.

☐ UPDATE ADVENTURER PLAYSHEETS

Take a moment to update the Adventurer's status.

☐ UPDATE MAPS

Take a moment to update the maps, if used.

☐ UPDATE THE GUIDE'S NOTES

Take a moment to log the Adventurer's action and its result for after-session review.
Update timestamps if tracking time per turn

Looping Back

☐ UPDATE THE ENCOUNTER

Briefly consider each of the common five actions for the next turn

☐ UPDATE POSSIBLE COMBAT PLANS

Update the combat plan for each opponent according to the goals and desired outcome for each opponent.

☐ UPDATE THE GUIDE'S NOTES

Update timestamps if tracking time per round.
What else happens “off stage” or “behind the scenes” such as progress of reinforcements or attracting wandering monsters?
Are any tracking clocks for other events moving forward?

If there is more session time, return to the beginning to describe the next view of the scene or encounter.

If closing in on the session end, describe the cliff-hanger for the next session.

Additional Resources

▲ Chronology :: ◢ References: Resolution