The Basic System

1. Player states action, GM sets challenge number (1-10 or higher for impossible tasks)

11-13 are beyond normal ability, but possible for someone with training, talent, resources, etc.
14-17 are impossible for normal people, require magical or divine resources
Challenge number can be open or secret (GM choice).

2. Player creates a venture to modify the challenge (this is the total bonus from skills, bene, tools, spells,
sooth cards, etc. that modifies the challenge number). Zero = auto success. 10+ = no roll / impossible.

Limit 1 bene to affect venture (without Expansive Endeavor)

Tools add level to venture (most tools are level 1 unless otherwise noted)
Circumstances = +1/-1 to venture. Extraordinary circumstances = +2/-2.
Magical effects = always add level of spell, forte ability, or other magical effect to venture.
Hidden Knowledge can also be spent toward the venture, with an interesting explanation.

3. Roll 1d10 (values 0 through 9). A roll equal or greater than challenge number results in success.

Sortilege can add additional die to any roll (self or other) if nearby and in sight.
Sortilege cannot be used if another die is already added from an alternate enhancement.
All magic tasks and challenges always require at least two successes (within reason).
Most spells and abilities already add extra dice; cannot add sortilege (without Advanced Sortilege).
Zero roll on extra dice = magical flux.

4. Rather than using bene to add to the venture, players can spend bene to add to effect (subject to max limit
1 per entire action without Expansive Endeavor).

1 bene = +2 damage, +1 venture for an ally, +2 to your next venture, or something cool.
1 accuracy bene = +3 damage

Side scenes (development mode) = eyeball challenge and venture, flip sooth card for value and symbolism,
resolve narratively. More an art than a science; don’t worry about specific mechanics too much.

Additional Rules

Spells and Forte Abilities: You must always pay a cost equal to the spell’s level from your sorcery pool.
This expenditure does not count against the normal limit of 1 bene per action. Forte abilities also require you
to spend sorcery equal to their level (unless stated otherwise). Always add the sorcery/forte level to the
venture.

Weapons and Damage: light (2 points), medium (4 points), heavy (6 points). Magical effects (and NPCs)
inflict their level as damage.

Armor: Reduces damage 1:1

Defense Actions: Dodge (physical attacks / movement), Resist (mind attacks / intellect), Withstand (fort
saves / physicality).
Damage: 3 Injuries become 1 Wound or 1 Anguish. Spend 1 physicality bene (only when damaged) to negate
1 Wound. Spend 1 intellect bene (only when damaged) to negate 1 Anguish.

1 Wound = 1 Scourge in all Certes pools 1 Anguish = 1 Qualia Scourge all pools
2 Wounds = 2 Scourges in all Certes pools 2 Anguish = 2 Qualia Scourges
3 Wounds = Death (+1 despair) 3 Anguish = Death or Madness, etc.

Rest Actions (4 per day): 1 action, 1 action, 10 minutes, and 1 hour = each of these rest actions refreshes one
pool. A long (overnight) rest resets all pools.

Recovery and Healing: Action to spend bene from physicality pool to recovery injuries that have not become
wounds (1:1). Can also use longer rest actions (10 minute or 1 hour) to recover 1 Wound or 1 Anguish (max
1 of each type per day). Can also recover 1 Wound or Anguish with a full night of rest.

First Aid Action (1x/character per encounter): heal 1 Injury, wake from unconscious, help to feet.

Vexes and Scourges: Vexes are anti-bene (-1 to your venture). GM decided when vexes are spent. A
scourge is like a vex but stays in your pool (-1 to all ventures for every action related to the pool).

Conditions: Unless the way to end the condition is obvious, these often require 1-3 rest actions (these rests
do not restore pools also).

Ongoing Actions: Multiple rolls over time (usually 3-5 rolls). Failure = setback, must try step again.

Retrying an Action: In narrative mode, it costs 1 bene to retry an action (no bonus to venture).

Assisting an Action: When one character helps another, add +1 (or + skill level) to the venture.

Distances: Close (within steps / part of another action), Near (reach fairly quickly / requires action), Far (see
but not reach quickly), Very Far (see but not clearly).

Objects of Power: Characters may only possess three at once (without Magical Management secret).

Currencies: Orbs embody a thought, secret, or idea. Magecoins are gold coins covered in mystic symbols,
and they are usually the currency used for magical transactions. There is no standard conversion between
orbs and magecoins.

5 Bits and Bobs = 1 Glass Orb 100 Crystal Orbs = 1 Gem Orb
100 Glass Orbs = 1 Crystal Orb 1 Trueorb = 1 Hidden Knowledge (consumed)

1 Bloodsilver = 1 Crystal Orb (plus potential curse, see The Key 182)

Magecoins: Vim (restore one certes pool) and Lumins (restore one qualia pool)
Demontears function as magecoins (blood red pearls from the Red) that restore any pool.
The Sooth Deck

New card flip = new location, significant event, new NPC enters scene, PC suffers wound or anguish,
something surprising happens, GM shift, magical flux, or each round of combat.

Cards are played along path; Invisible Card (on Testament) remains in effect until replaced.

Enhanced Sun (bold) = spell level increase 1 (no additional cost) or cost reduced 1 (PC choice)
Diminished Sun (faint) = spell level reduced 1 (no reduced cost) or cost increased 1 (PC choice)
Double these positive/negative effects if color matches the current sun on the path.

Four families of cards match character hearts. Match = +1 to all the character’s ventures.

Secrets (Gallant/Flame) Mysteries (Stoic/Stone)

Visions (Empath/Wave) Notions (Ardent/Storm)

Royalty cards have special effects:

Sovereign +1 to all actions / +2 if heart matches family

Nemesis -1 to all actions / -2 if heart matches family
Defender +2 to all actions if heart matches family
Apprentice -1 to all actions if heart matches family
Companion Duplicates previously played card
Adept Play another card on the next sun.

Advancement

GM Shifts = Joy/Despair, about 2x/session, only 1x/character.

End of session character summaries = GM awards Acumen, Joy, and Despair based on character and story
arcs, character temperament, and notable accomplishments and experiences outside arcs. Beyond arc awards
there is usually a max of 1 discretionary acumen per session (per character). Characters should typically
only earn 1 Joy or Despair per session from any source aside from GM shifts.

You may spend 1 Despair to buy 2 Acumen. Always track total crux earned and spent, because the
Testament of Suns (and Vertula Kada) soak these and gain effects (see The Key 205).

 Advance Order = crux equal to new degree + meet requirements

 Apostate Ability = 1 crux
 Appurtenance = 1 crux + meet requirement.
 Call Upon Soul Guardian = 1 crux + secret soul revealed to all nearby
 Character Arc = usually 2 acumen
 Connections = 2 acumen / level
 Forte Ability = 1 crux (lvl 1-4), 2 crux (lvl 5-6) or 3 crux (lvl 7+) (also grants +2 stats)
 House Level = 1 crux
 Minor Magic = 1 acumen
 NPC Bond = 1 acumen
 Secret (character or house) = 1 acumen / secret level
 Skills = 3 acumen (action), 2 acumen (narrative), or 1 acumen (development). Max level 4.
Requires time.
 Spell or Long Form magic = 1 acumen / spell level