TimeTempPaperlessOffice 10-01-17

Time & Temp
Paperless Office Edition
A game of time travel and underemployment

by Epidiah Ravachol
Dedicated to Kathleen & Richard Dannemiller,

who were there when I first began my adventures in time.
Proofread by:
Emily Care Boss & Iain M. Norman
Playstormed & playtested by:

Saif Ansari, Michael Cooper, Jason Keeley,
& Jim Sullivan.
And special thanks to Emily Care Boss,

without whom this would be utterly impossible.
1,000 Epidiah Ravachol
Dig a Thousand Holes Publishing

How to Use this File
Time & Temp is a game for 3-5 players. One player operates under a
separate set of rules. This player is called the General Manager, or GM.
The other players are simply referred to as players.
To learn how to play, all the players will want to read the Employee
Handbook and the Rules Primer section or the printable Rules Handouts.
The GM will also want to read the General Management Policy. The other
players may read the Policy if they'd like, there are no secrets, but they
don't have to.
What Do You Need to Play
• At least four complete sets of polyhedral dice

(d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20);
• A few sheets of paper;
• A handful of pencils;
• And several friends.
What is the Paperless Office Edition
Time & Temp was originally created as a physical artifact, to be held and
explored. It is apparent, however, that there's a demand for a more
environmentally conscious, modern version to fit today's high tech office
space. This edition is the resultant compromise. It contains all the
information of the Unbound Edition presented in a format easier to read
on screen.
However, an important feature of the Unbound Edition is the pull out rule
section—five double-sided sheets containing all the rules. These were both
how you would learn the rules and reference sheets to be used during
play. One of the drawbacks of a paperless office is the lack of convenient
access to the rules at the table. And one of the drawbacks of these rule
sheets is that they're too unwieldy to read on screen. So the Paperless
Office Edition has two rules sections: the Rules Primer and the the Rules
Handouts. The first you'll find right after the Employee Handbook and is
designed to be read on screen. The second is at the end of this PDF and is
designed to be printable, front to back, for use at the gaming table.
A Note on Notations
C.V.—Curriculum vitae, the temps' résumés.

d#—A notation for the different sizes of dice. The number following the d
indicates how many sides the die has. So d8 is short for eight-sided die.
GM—General Manager.
What's in this File
• This Introduction;
• The Employee Handbook;
• The Rules Primer;
• The General Management Policy;
• Printable Rules Handouts;
• And a printable sheet of incident reports.
The Employee Handbook
The following 13 pages constitute the Browne Chronometric Engineering,

Inc., Handbook. This part should be read by all who are playing. There are
copies of just this section it available at Dig1000Holes.wordpress.com/, if
you wish to print them out or otherwise share them with your fellow
players.
The Rules Primer
Following the Employee Handbook, are 22 pages of rules discussion. Read

through these. It's okay if you don't understand them all right away. You'll
have them available during play to reference and learn more as you go.
The General Management Policy
The 17 pages after the Rules Primer are the General Management Policy.
Only the General Manager needs to read this section, but anyone is
welcome to.
The Printable Material
At the end of this PDF there are several 8½ x 11 pages of rules and
handouts. If you print out these 11 pages, back-to-back, you'll end up with
six sheets. Five of them will be double-sided rules references, organized so
that connected information is all on the same sheet. The sixth will be a
sheet of Incident Reports you can cut up and use during play.
And now on to the Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc.,

Employee Handbook . . .
Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc.
Employee Handbook
Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
Warning: This document contains

paradoxically sensitive material. Do
not expose it to the public. Do not
read without the proper training. Do
not allow the information contained
within to alter your course of action.
Employees are required to read and sign this document before they are given
access to chronometric devices and other paradoxically sensitive materials.
I, __________________________________, affirm that I have read, dated, and

initialed all 12 pages of this document and intend to follow the instructions
contained within when representing Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc.,
and/or otherwise engaging in temporal engineering or historical manipulation.
____________________________________ _____/_____/_____
Employee’s Signature Date
Table of Contents
Overview 2
Mission Statement 2
On the Job Training & Preparation 3

Cultural Transcendency Course 3
Basal Linguistics Techniques 4
Employee Immunization Program 5
Overriding Theory of the Fragile Immutability of Time 6
Employee Responsibilities and Regulations 9
Career Advancement 11
Personal Progress Report 12
Working to Make Anachronism a Thing of the Past!
Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 1 of 12

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Overview
“Welcome to Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., the future of the past!
BCE, Inc., is a fascinating company to work for, and we’re pleased as punch to
have you aboard. But before you become a member of our little family, there are
a few ground rules we need to deal with first, so that we can all work together to
make this the best experience possible.”
Susan Ford, Director of Human Resources
This document is meant to serve as an easily reference for both new and
experienced employees at Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc. Within it
you’ll find vital information and policies on topics that are unique to the nature
of BCE, Inc.’s business. It will be your invaluable guide as you navigate the
unstill waters of the industry and your work environment.
Due to the sensitive nature of many of the topics discussed in this document,
employees are required to return it directly to Human Resources immediately
after reading, signing, and initialing each page.
Mission Statement
Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., officially adopts the following mission

statement as the underlying and guiding philosophy in its works:
To police and protect the historical integrity of the temporal order

against all anomalies, anachronisms, and other threats.
Employees should know the mission statement and turn to it for guidance when
making decisions that could impact the company as a whole.

Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
On the Job Training & Preparation

Due to the sensitive nature of the work being done at BCE, Inc., all employees
must undergo specialized training. This training is provided free of charge for
new employees, who are expected to complete the courses before beginning
their first day of work.
Even the most experienced employees will need refresher courses throughout
their careers. If you should find yourself committing faux pas, misspeaking, or
coming down with a touch of the Black Death, talk to your Human Resources
representative about enrolling in one of the more advance courses.
Cultural Transcendency Course
While working at BCE, Inc., employees find themselves in regular contact with
a dizzying array of human cultures—many of which can appear quite bizarre at
first blush. The resulting cultural shock can be hazardous to business and lead to
some indelicate situations.
To head this off at the pass, we’ve put together a weeklong training course
during which time you’ll learn how to comport yourself in a manner that will
appear to the observer that you are, for all intents and purposes, a member of
their society. Best of all, you can do this without altering your dress, personality,
or appearance one whit.
The principle behind the Cultural Transcendency Course is rather complex, but
basically it’s a program in hypnotic composure and posture that allows you to
act in such a way that the untrained observer will experience a blind spot in that
part of the brain that frets about social mores. It particularly targets the class,
gender, and ethnicity zones; and can, if used properly, allow a Cro-Magnon to
join an exclusive country club without raising an eyebrow—as long as he
behaves.
The program does not disguise you. It simply makes those observing you relax
their concerns, expectations, and preconceptions, causing them to accept you as
one of their own. A woman, for instance, would not be perceived as a man, but
she would be treated in most respects as one if she were using what she learned
in her Cultural Transcendency Course to infiltrate a 1981 corporate boardroom.

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Basal Linguistics Techniques
Advance research in the field of linguistics has shown that upwards of 98.7% of
all human communication stems from a primal set of physical mannerisms,
vocal micro-syllables, and common inflections. A person versed in these
particular techniques can sound and appear like a native speaker in most human
languages while uttering grunts and other gibberish. And in many cases, they
may make themselves understood in several languages all at once.
The key lies in the synchronizing of the vocal techniques with the somatic
components. As long as the audience is able to both see and hear you, you can
make yourself understood well enough to convey the most complex of topics.
Likewise, identifying these components in the speech patterns and mannerisms

of others will allow you to understand just about every language, living or dead,
as it is spoken to you.
All Browne Chronometric Engineering employees must complete a three-hour

seminar on these Basal Linguistics Techniques (or BLT) so that they are fluent
enough to understand and communicate in the broad spectrum of client and
employee languages they’ll typically encounter during the average business day.
Employees should be aware that because the BLT require visual as well as audio
cues, there are several common situations in which they might not be applicable.
Please make note of them to avoid confusion.
Whispering or other furtive communications can be difficult as

they often the require subterfuge that can obscure some of the
visual cues required by the BLT. Keep this in mind when you have
a secret to share. Also, be advised that secrets can hurt feelings.
Shouting over long distances, in the dark, through fog, or while

otherwise obscured from your audience will have very little effect.
You can shout with the BLT, but you still need to be seen clearly
by whoever you’re shouting at for them to understand you.
If your audience is distracted—such as by other conversations,

flashing lights, or threats on their lives—you will not be able to
communicate effectively using BLT. It’s important to capture your
audience’s attention before talking to them.

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The BLT do not translate into the written word. If you are not
already literate in the language of a particular book, hieroglyph,
sign, brochure, e-mail, or tattoo, the BLT will not help you read it.
Nor will it help you write in a script you are unfamiliar with.
Radios, CBs, phonographs, two tin cans on either sides of a taut

string, and other communication devices that send and receive only
audio will transmit only gibberish if you attempt to use the BLT
with them.
Any telephone manufactured before 2017 is ill-equipped to

transmit BLT. Even the first generation BLT-ready, audio-only
phones suffer from data loss. Employees are encouraged to use
those made after 2019 for important communications.
Finally, these techniques usually won’t work when speaking with

extraterrestrial or other non-human intelligences. Although many
such intelligences have their own methods to bridge the
communication gap with our employees, there is no guarantee that
both parties will be able to make themselves explicitly clear to each other. You
should always take what is told to you by an alien intelligence with a grain of
salt.
Employee Immunization Program
Your health is a primary concern for the rest of us at BCE, Inc. Especially when
you consider all the highly communicable diseases that you can come in contact
with when you travel extensively. To prevent office outbreaks and global
pandemics, we’ve instituted a mandatory immunization program. Medical
Research and Development has borrowed Xsian technology to synthesize a
series of adaptive vaccines that should protect most employees from most
historical diseases.
This does not constitute a guarantee on the part of Browne Chronometric

Engineering, Inc., that the immunized employee will not suffer from any disease.
There are still several weaponized bio-agents that are unaffected by the
Employee Immunization Program, as well as certain strains of the common cold.
Employees will be trained to practice good hygiene and take precautions against
unnecessary exposure to communicable diseases.

Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
The Overriding Theory

of the Fragile Immutability of Time
Time is an infinite, placid lake. Each consciousness on it, each of us, is a boat.
Upon this lake there’s a gargantuan fleet of boats in a myriad of different sizes
and tonnage, all traveling in the same direction.
Each of these boats is cutting out its own wake on the glassy surface of time. We
have the power to pluck a boat from its spot at the wake’s apex, and gently
lower it back into the lake where it starts carving a new wake.
When this new wake crosses other wakes—the wakes of boats it crossed before,
when it was elsewhere on the lake—trouble begins. The waters churn and we
see eddies form. These eddies are anomalies, whirlpools in the fluid of time,
tumultuous phenomenon that threaten the languorous flow of reality. All sorts
of strangeness starts to occur: people age backwards; ancient reptiles are
dragged forward in time; a single point in space, beneath a set of cellar stairs in
Buenos Aires, becomes a window onto every other point in the world.
But these eddies are not the worst of it. Charybdis lies in wait. A vast, all-
consuming whirlpool eager to swallow all of the lake, all of time, all of reality.
And all it needs is for this boat’s new wake to cross its old one. For the time
traveler to change history such that the time traveler would not change history.
For a paradox.
This is how time travel works.
The larger your historical presence, the larger your boat. The more impact
you’re having on the world, the heavier it sits in the water. Important figures
displace more of time’s water, trailing wide, durable wakes that reach much
further back into history. Less important figures glide through the lake,
disturbing relatively less of the water. Insignificant figures—those who have
little impact on anyone else, who can be replaced tomorrow by another nameless
face and no one would question why—virtually bob on the surface, making little,
if any, wake of their own.
And this is why we here at Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., firmly

believe that temp workers make the safest choice for anachronous agents.

Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
Time is immutable. Things that have happened always will have happened.
Conscious attempts to change the history of things will lead to a paradox taking
the form of the following example:
 Your father lost his leg in a factory accident before you were born.
 You wish to prevent this from happening.
 You travel back in time to shut down the machinery moments before the
accident.
 Your father never lost his leg.
 You’re never motivated to go back in time and therefore never prevent
the accident.
Such a paradox is lethal to the fabric of reality. Were one to actually attempt to
do this, all of existence would cease to have ever been. Fortunately, due in small
part to the efforts of companies such as BCE, Inc., no one has managed to
accomplish this yet. We know this because reality still exists.
Unfortunately, history can be changed unwittingly as well. If you were to travel

back in time and unintentionally prevent the meeting of the great-great
grandparents of the man who created the faulty machinery that took your
father’s leg, you would have effectively prevented the accident. The cascading
effect on your father’s life could lead him to be more sympathetic to your
desires to enter the workforce immediately after high school. Having never been
forced into college, so you wouldn’t have to work in the factory like your dad,
you would have never ended up with that degree in comparative literature which
led you to the temp agency for employment and ultimately into the field of time
travel. Thus preventing you from going back in time and serendipitously saving
your father’s leg, causing a world-ending paradox.
Both of these examples are broad simplifications of a great many complex

principles. They have far-reaching implications in the field of temporal
mechanics, but for most practical purposes, they can be boiled down to two easy
to remember laws of time travel:
 The more you interfere with your immediate personal history, the greater
the risk of paradox.
 The further you travel from your current point in time, the greater the risk
of a cascade effect causing paradox.
The resulting combined chance of paradox is known as the Yossarian Horizon.

Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
Consider the typical temp’s random chances of interfering with their own
personal history, including the history of their parents and grand parents (shown
on the chart below as the solid line) and their chances of creating a cascade
effect that would eventually interfere with their personal history (shown on the
chart below as a dotted line).
The gray line across the top is the Yossarian Horizon, or the combined base
chances of creating a paradox merely by traveling in time. The further back in
time you travel, the less likely you are of directly affecting your personal history,
but the greater the chances of the little things you do knocking over the
dominoes of history until they collide with your own personal events. The sum
is a steady constant throughout all of time that has come before you.
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This chart assumes our typical temp has not yet traveled in time. As more travel
occurs, your personal history starts to show up all over the timeline, increasing
the chances of interfering with it and the risk of paradox. Likewise, because
your personal history is becoming a bigger target for the domino effect, that risk
of paradox increases as well. And the Yossarian Horizon increases exponentially.
Because the risk increases with each trip, there are a finite number of practical
journeys through time one can realistically make. And this is why we here at
Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., firmly believe that temporary
employees make the safest choice for anachronous agents.

Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
Employee Responsibilities and Regulations

Due the sensitive nature of our work here at BCE, Inc., employees are required
to follow a strict set of safety rules and regulations to ensure a healthy work
environment for us all.
 Employees of Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., and

their representatives must do everything within their power
to correct any anachronisms, anomalies, and other
potentially paradoxical complications they encounter,
including, but not limited to plots by intelligences known
and unknown, naturally occurring phenomenon, and
ahistorical presences.
This principle guideline is the most vital part of our work here at BCE, Inc. It
takes precedent over all others.
 Employees must preserve the mystery of the future.
Most folks walk through life without knowing what’s in store for them. They
make their decisions based largely upon this ignorance. Sharing knowledge of
the future with people from the past can cause them to alter their course of
action, which in turn can change the course of history and cause a paradox.
 Employees should respect the personal property and

space of other employees.
In order to preserve a more harmonious work environment, employees are asked

to respect one another. Do not take things that aren’t yours. Do not leave things
on the workspace of other employees. This includes their computer desktop.
 Employees may not allow knowledge of the future to

affect their chosen course of action.
As tempting as it might be to avoid particularly embarrassing or stressful

moments you know are in store for you, such attempts put us all at risk.
Sometimes you just have to take one for the team.

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 Employees may not use their knowledge of the future for

personal gain.
Gambling and playing the stock market is strictly forbidden. Several financial
crises of the past century have been the result of economic bubbles created by a
sudden influx of anachronistic monies into the stock market. A large quantity of
amateur time travelers, unaware of each other, looking to make a quick buck
travel back in time to invest in a stock they know is going to increase (thus
increasing the demand for the stock) and then withdraw their investments just
before the moment they know the stock is about to drop (thus precipitating the
crash). Our temporal economists have to monitor history closely to ensure that
no such incidental manipulation of the markets runs the risk of paradox.
 Employees must not attempt to right a wrong that has

already happened.
If an employee of BCE, Inc., were to go back in time to prevent Hitler from

coming into power, the resulting paradox would erase all that ever was and we
would be legally and morally obligated to stop that employee and place Hitler
back in power. Do not place us in this untenable situation.
 Employees should report any theft of office supplies or

other wrong doings.
The loss of office supplies costs the company money that would be better used
to throw a holiday party or company picnic. We need your help to stop it.
 Employees must never attempt to meet themselves.
Our temporal theorists have calculated that when the past and future versions of
the same person meet, the chances of paradox escalates exponentially. Our
human resources department has also conducted studies that show when you
meet your future self, you are almost always disappointed. In 63% of all
recorded cases of employees meeting themselves, fights have broken out.
 Alcohol, drug and other substance abuses are prohibited.
Alcohol, drug, and other substance abuse can impair an employees ability to
make the right decision at critical moments, which can endanger not only
themselves but everything. Everything. If you have a problem with alcohol, drug,
Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
or other substance abuse, you can confidentially contact human resources. They
are familiar with a wide range of programs that can help you.
 Employees are required to exhaust non-violent options first

and to avoid killing indiscriminately.
One of the most dangerous things one could do while time traveling is to kill
someone. You are not only changing their lives, but the lives of everyone they’ll
ever meet, including any children they might have had. The increase to the risk
of paradox is staggering.
 Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., has a zero-

tolerance policy towards sexual harassment.
Because of the wide range of cultures represented at BCE, Inc., there has been
some confusion about what is and isn’t appropriate workplace behavior. Human
resources offers a series of mandatory courses to bring employees up to speed
on the topic. Until they’ve completed these courses, employees are encouraged
to keep their hands and thoughts to themselves.
 Employees are strictly prohibited from engaging in sexual

relations with persons from other times.
Even with extensive use of prophylactics and other methods of birth control, the
risk of introducing anachronistic genes into the pool is too great.
Career Advancement
Opportunities abound for the industrious employee at BCE, Inc. Your career is
as important to us as it is to you. Here are a few tips to help you further that
career.
 On the other side of this page is Personal Progress Report form. Use it to
record the notes from your project debriefings.
 For each project, record 2 ways your contribution was recognized and 2
areas in which your co-workers felt you could use a little improvement.
 Keep this form handy so that you can address these issues in the field, on
your next project.
 After the form is filled out, contact your manager for a review.

Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
Personal Progress Reports
Project: Date:
Valued Contribution: Valued Contribution:
 
Improvement Opportunity: Improvement Opportunity:
 
Project: Date:
 
 
Project: Date:
 
 
Project: Date:
 
 

Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834
The Rules Primer
How to Play the Game

One of you will be the GM, the rest will play temps, imaginary characters
in need of employment. Fortunately, there's Marigold Staffing Agency.
The Hiring of a Temp
Before your temps can be hired, they'll need résumés. Each player should
write a C.V. for their temp. The styles of the various résumés can differ, but
the basic structure should include three jobs (or achievements or
recreational activities), each with two bullet points worth of related skills
underneath. Like this:
Job, Achievement, Academic History or Hobby

• Related Skill or Trait
During the game, the temps can get bonuses from their C.V. if the jobs or
skills listed are applicable to what they are trying to do.
Management Classes
Meanwhile, the GM can browse the General Management Policy. This

book outlines how adventures in Time & Temp should run, at least in the
beginning. With the ideas in there, some home grown imagination, and
later on a little help from the temps' TPS reports, the GM should have no
problem putting you in the thick of the action.
Field Work
When every temp has a C.V. and the GM has the makings of a temporal
emergency, it's time to field the temps. Generally speaking, you start off in
your cubicles at BCE, Inc. The players play the roles of their temps,
controlling their actions, and telling us what they want to do. The GM
takes on pretty much every other role.
Swiftly the temps are whisked from their cubicles, down a drab hallway,
and into the domed room that will shatter the laws of physics and
transport them through time!
Doing Things
In general, the temps can do anything they want, within reason. You
simply tell the GM what you want to do, and yup, it happens. But
sometimes it's not always that easy. Take a look at the “Rolling” section. It'll
tell you when things need dice to resolve what happens. And the
“Modifiers” section will show you that you don't always have to rely on
luck.
Messing With Time
Every time you roll, you're changing the nature of reality. Things you do
when you're unstuck in time have consequences that go beyond cause
and effect. Take a look at the “Matrix” section. This is a measure of how
reality twists under the pressure of the temps' actions, ready to collapse
into a paradox. But it's not all bad news. Strange things can happen (see
the “Anomalies” section), and occasionally, you get to do those things
that make time travel worthwhile (see “Synchronicity”).
Rolling
When to Roll?
While the temps are doing their thing, there will be moments where the
players will have to roll to see just how well the temps do and/or if there
are any consequences to their actions. Specifically, you should roll
whenever one of the following three conditions are met:
• When you are opposed by another character or creature.
• When you risk failure or incident (see “How Many Dice?”).
• When your actions could clearly change history.
At this points, dice must hit the table before we can go on. But that leaves
a couple questions: What size dice to use and how many of them?
What Size Dice?
Setting the Effort & Effect
The player and the GM should discuss what sort of effort the temp is
putting forth to accomplish their goal, and just exactly what that goal is.
This is the effort and the effect, and this will tell you the size of the dice
you'll be rolling.
Player Decides—When you're ready to roll, the player decides whether

they want to set the effect or the effort. Whichever one they set, the GM
will set the other.
Effort—Setting the effort means you're saying your temp is going to go this
far to get the job done.
Effect—Setting the effect means you're saying this is the job the temp
wants done and they'll do whatever it takes.
The below are more details about what all this entails.
This is a discussion, a back and forth. So if the player sets the effort at
“strolling out of the cave” and the GM sets the effect at “not getting out
before tyrannosaurus rex wakes up” the player is allowed to amend their
effort. Or swing around and decide to set the effect instead.
Dice Size—Once the player has set one and the GM set the other, cross
reference them on the Effort & Effect chart to determine the size of the
dice you're using. All the dice you roll will be of this size.
Extensive
Minor
Major
Effort &
Effect
Minor d12 d10 d8
Major d10 d8 d6
Ext ensive d8 d6 d4
Effort
Working Hard or Hardly Working?
Effort is a measure of the amount of energy and attention the temp

personally puts into the task at hand. With effort you get to describe what
resources, such as time, tools, techniques, the environment, etc., you are
using to your advantage.
Describing the Effort
When describing the temp's effort, consider what the temp does and how
they do it, including tools used, precautions made, how long it takes,
resources used up, and so forth.
You can say what the temp is trying to do, but nothing specific about the
results.
Minor Effort
These are the sort of things that require little energy or concentration. Most
people can do these things while engaged in something else. Minor
efforts could be:
• Swatting a fly;
• Gossiping at the water cooler;
• Or recalling a joke.
Major Effort
This effort requires concentration for a brief amount of time, or more
casual concentration over a long period of time. Temps usually cannot do
anything else of note while putting forth this level of effort without also
taking extra time. Major efforts could be:
• Lunging at a runaway cat;
• Wooing someone in a bar;
• Or recalling a conversation.
Extensive Effort
These are long term projects or brief moments of exhaustive effort. If it is
the sort of project that takes several days or longer, you can take a few
breaks to deal with other matters, but that will certainly impact how long it
will take you. Or something that takes everything you've got. Extensive
efforts could be:
• Engaging in a wrestling match;
• Defending yourself in court;
• Or reciting the entirety of Star Wars from memory.
Effect
Doing What It Takes to Get the Job Done
Effect is a measure of the extent of the impact the temp’s actions will
have. When choosing the effect, don't get too wrapped up in the
possible long term results, only the unavoidable results. Don't look at what
might happen, but solely at what will happen.
Describing the Effect
Describe what the temp wants to happen. You don't have to go into
details at this point, but if there are an specific secondary results, such as
impressing onlookers and whatnot, be sure to mention them.
You should not talk about what the temp did to accomplish this.
Minor Effect
This covers largely inconsequential stuff. Things that temporarily delay
people or have no noticeable impact on an environment or culture.
Minor effects could be:
• Distracting a guard;
• Or improving your great, great grandmother’s shortbread recipe
with a trick you picked up in a Better Homes & Gardens from 1997.
Major Effect
These have consequences, but not dire ones. They divert people from
their daily tasks, prevent things from happening that could happen again,
or change the environment or a culture in significant but not drastic way.
Major effects could be:
• Waylaying a guard to steal his uniform;
• Or helping your great, great grandmother win first prize in a baking
competition.
Extensive Effect
These include killing; drastically altering an environment, society, or event;
and just about anything of permanence. Extensive effects could be:
• Getting someone pregnant;
• Helping your great, great grandmother invent chocolate chip
cookies before Ruth Wakefield.
Putting Effort & Effect Together
Once the player has set one and the GM has set the other, you find the
levels of effort and effect on the following chart to determine the size of
the dice you'll be rolling.
Ext ensive
Minor
Major
Effort &
Effect
Minor d12 d10 d8
Major d10 d8 d6
Extensive d8 d6 d4
Special Condition:
Information!
When a temp is doing research, or keeping an eye out for danger, or

otherwise just looking for information, the effect is always minor for the
purpose of determining the die size.
Players setting effect are setting precisely the information they are looking
for. When the GM sets it, they're setting the amount and nature of the
information revealed.
Bonuses and penalties cannot change the effect die size.
Special Condition:
Sex & Violence
Any act that could permanently destroy or create a sentient being that is
or will be a part of this timeline is always an extensive effect for the
purpose of determining the die size.
This includes such joys as unprotected sex and gunfights with the locals.
Note however that characters out of their own time could be fair game.
Bonuses or penalties spent to change the level of this effect automatically

take death or conception off the table.
How Many Dice?
Determining the Risks Involved
Everyone playing the game should look at the situation and determine if
the temp is in danger of failing or harming themselves, or their pride, while
attempting what they're attempting. These are the risks, and they will tell
you how many dice you will be rolling.
Everyone Decides—For the first two risks, Failure and Incident, if anyone
playing thinks the temp is at risk, then the temp is at risk. This means that
the GM, the temp's player, or any other player can put them at risk.
Risking Failure—A temp risks failure if there's a good chance a normal

person might not succeed at what they're attempting to do. The temp
may not be a normal person, but that's a matter for the bonuses to suss
out.
Risking Incident—A temp risks incident if there's a decent chance they

might get hurt, be embarrassed, or suffer fallout from their attempt.
Incidental fallout is not necessarily related to the temp's success or failure.
Risking Paradox—The third risk, Paradox, is determined by the rules. If a

Paradox die is locked in, if one or more of the temps is Bilocated, or if
there is a obvious Anomaly involved, then the temp automatically risks
Paradox.
Number of Dice—You roll one die, plus an additional die for each of the
three risks you are taking.
After Rolling
Decide which result to plug into the Matrix. The lower the result, the better
it is for your temp, but the more dangerous it is for reality.
In order to succeed without suffering the failure or incident you risked, you
must use the lowest die result.
To take the second lowest result you must either accept the incident you
risked or the failure you risked, but not both.
To take the third lowest result, you must both fail and suffer the incident
you risked.
Ties take up as many places as there are tied dice. If two dice rolled ones,
they would occupy the lowest and second lowest places. You would
have to fail and suffer incident to get a higher result.
If you want to . . . You must use . . .
Succeed without The lowest die
Incident
Succeed with Incident
—or—- The 2nd lowest die
Fail without Incident
Fail with Incident The 3rd lowest die
Then take that number and put it in the Matrix. But before we get to that,
there's a couple of things we need to talk about first.
Failure & Incident
Player Narrates Failure—When a temp fails, it's up to the player to decide

just exactly why. It might not be their fault, or they might have another
shot (see “Try Try Again” below.)
GM Doles Out Incident—When a temp suffers from an Incident, the GM

must fill out an Incident Report and explain how the Incident occurred.
Try Try Again
If the temp fails at something, it's not over. The player is allowed to
describe failure in such a way that the temp could have another go, but
only if the player set the effort. If the player set the effect they must
describe failure that prevents another attempt.
On the 3rd attempt, the player must set the effect.
On To the Matrix
The Matrix is a grid that the players plug numbers into whenever they roll.
When they roll, they find a number as described above and place that
number in the grid. As the grid fills up, time gets affected. There are three
things that can happen when a number is plugged in the Matrix: the
world can grow closer to a paradox that will end it, the fabric of time will
tear slightly causing anomalies to occur, and/or the temps find
opportunities to use the fact that they can travel in time to their
advantage.
It is highly recommended that when you read the next section you have a
printout of the Matrix on hand, so you can see what it looks like, and how
it works together with the Anachronometer, the Synchronic Sets, and
Anomalies.
How to Use the Matrix
The Insertion Roll
The first number plugged into the Matrix will always be the Insertion Roll, or
the roll the players make to see if their temps managed to operate the
time machine correctly.
If this is the temp's first visit to this time & place—the Matrix is clear of
numbers—then the Insertion Roll always goes in the upper-right corner.
If there are numbers already in the Matrix, then the players can choose to
risk failure for a chance to decide where to place the Insertion Roll. Failure
means the number goes in the first legal spot closest to the upper-right
corner (with the GM deciding if more than one spot qualifies). Success
means the players may choose any of the available legal spots.
Legal Placement
Once you have at least one number in the Matrix, all other numbers must
be placed in a blank square that is adjacent to another number in the
Matrix and either directly to the left or directly below that number.
Legal Placement
8 X
X 3 X
X X X
X X X
Legal Placement
Because numbers can be shifted around by Anomalies, blank spaces can

show up in places that will make some numbers appear as if they weren't
legally placed. This is okay as long as the numbers were in legal spots
when they were first placed.
Synchronic Sets
A Synchronic Set is a pattern of numbers inside the Matrix. Any time the
players place the last number in a Synchronic Set, they get a
Synchronicity Token. This only happens when they place the last number in
the set; but any number, including the last number, can belong to more
than one set. And it's possible for a number to be the last number for more
than one set, earning the players more than one Synchronicity Token.
There are three Synchronic Sets.

9 unique
numbers in a
square
The 1st and easiest set to get is a square of 9 unique numbers. No two
numbers in the square can have the same value.
2 cross bars, each

wit h 5 unique
numbers
The 2nd is a cross with either a horizontal bar of 5 numbers and a vertical
bar of 5 numbers, or two diagonal bars of 5 numbers. The bars must bisect
each other in the middle. Each bar must have 5 unique numbers, but they
may share numbers with each other.
7 consecut ive
numbers in a row
The 3rd and most difficult set to complete is a set of 7 consecutive numbers
(such as 4,5,6,7,8,9,10) in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row.
Read the “Synchronicity” section for more information on what you can
do after you complete a Synchronic Set.
Finding Anomalies in the Matrix
When two numbers of the same value are placed next to each other, an
Anomaly occurs. The players may take any two numbers in the Matrix, or
a number and a legal blank spot, and swap them. This will not complete a
Synchronic Set or cause another Anomaly, even if it satisfies those
conditions.
The GM then creates an Anomaly in the story. The 1st Anomaly is always
Déjà Vu. Once it is added, the GM checks off an Anomaly Escalation,
altering which Anomalies can now be added to the story. Every two
Anomalies after that cause another escalation.
Read the “Anomalies” section for more on what Anomalies do.

Anachronometrics
Once a number is placed in the Matrix, it must also be checked off on the
Anachronometer. After a number has been checked off more than 2
times on the Anachronometer, that number now Threatens Paradox and
the Paradox Dice are rolled.
The Paradox Roll Threatens Paradox

I
The Paradox Dice are four d20s, II
but at most you only ever roll 3
III
of them. When called to roll the
dice, the GM rolls all those that IV
are not currently locked in (max. V
of 3). When a Paradox Die rolls a VI
value that Threatens Paradox, it VII
gets locked in on that number. VIII
Record which dice are locked in
IX
on what numbers.
X
1st Locked Die—The players risk XI
Paradox from here on out, XII
making them roll an extra die for XIII-XIV
that risk. XV-XVI
XVII-XVIII
2nd Locked Die—Escalate the
Anomalies. XIX-XX
3rd Locked Die—Escalate the Anomalies.
4th Locked Die—All of reality never happened.
The Temporal Villainy Index
Whenever the temps are dealing with a menace that is rated on The
Keeley-Sullivan Temporal Villainy Index (see the General Management
Policy), the GM will periodically check off the lowest circle on this end of
the Anachronometer. Once the second circle is checked off for a set of
numbers, both numbers Threaten Paradox and the Paradox Dice are
rolled.
A Menace Rating of 0 checks one circle off every two hours of real time
you've been playing. A Menace Rating of 1 checks a circle off every hour
and a half. A rating of 2 checks it off every hour. A rating of 3 checks it off
every 40 minutes. And a rating of 4 does so every 20 minutes.
Synchronicity
This is the sleight of hand that time travelers use to play with causality and
get what they want from the universe. And here's how it works.
When the temps have spent enough time and effort in a particular place
and time, it's reasonable to assume that they have gathered enough
knowledge and wherewithal to reliably plan to remember to come back
to this time and place to help themselves out. Easy, right?
But these things don't just happen because you wish they would. You
have to earn it.
The Synchronicity Token
The players earn Synchronicity Tokens by completing Synchronic Sets in

the Matrix. For every set they complete, they get one token.
The tokens go in a common pool. Any player may use one at any time. It
does not matter who completed the set that created the token.
Each token can only be used for one Synchronicity. Once you use it, the
token goes back to the GM. If more than one player wishes to use the
same token at the same time for different Synchronicities, and they
cannot decide which of them gets to use it, none of them can use it. The
squabbling between their temps in the present and the future stymies their
efforts. You have to learn to get along to make time travel work for you.
Synchronicities
There are 5 Synchroniticies available, each with their own set of rules:
Epiphany, Deus ex Machina, Hidden Agent, Bilocation, and Zeitgeist.
Epiphany
A moment of inspiration or clarity that lights the way for the temps. This
can be the result of the knowledge or experience that comes from being
unstuck in time, or the sudden understanding of a cryptic riddle the temps
will send eventually to themselves—an ominous e-mail from the future, or
a long overdue package from the past that has just the right information.
Epiphanies allow the players to establish facts about the world of the
game. If an Epiphany was spent on it, it's true, no matter what the GM
had in mind. The only limit is that the Epiphany cannot completely
contradict something that has already been firmly established.
Deus ex Machina
You can always have the right tools for the job when all you have to do is
remember to come back and leave them where you found them.
Deus ex Machina allows the players to immediately give their temps

something that the temps will inevitably remember to go back in time to
set up. This can be a tool, a weapon, or something like a convenient
trapdoor. Anything but another character (see Hidden Agent) or the
temps themselves (see Bilocation).
The element of surprise and the benefit of hindsight combine to make the
very first thing you attempt to do with this a success without the need for a
roll. But the temp must do what they can to make it plausible that they
would eventually come back in time and help themselves.
Hidden Agent
Sometimes only a local knows how to best deal with a situation. By

making a serious of carefully orchestrated visits into the past of another
character, the temps are able to set up a surprise allegiance.
This introduces a helpful character who is willing to act on the temps'

behalf. This person may be someone totally new, or a character the
temps have already interacted with who has kept their knowledge of the
temps a secret until the moment of the big reveal.
When a Hidden Agent is created, the GM invents a promise that the

future version of the temp made to this person in order to get them to
help. Since the temp hasn't yet made the promise, the current version of
the temp may be in the dark about it. The temp is under no obligation to
keep the promise, nor is the agent under any obligation to be truthful
about the promise. But the promise must come up in the course of the
game, and usually when the agent is needed most.
Thanks to the element of surprise and the benefit of hindsight, the very first
thing an agent does when they reveal themselves succeeds without the
need for a roll, as long as it is conceivably possible.
After that, the agent will likely do as they are told according to the nature
of their relationship with the temps, but they are ultimately under the GM's
control.
The Hidden Agent is a local for the sake of the Group Coordination bonus,
and this bonus works on Paradox risks from Bilocated temps and obvious
Anomalies.
Zeitgeist
Occasionally, a temp will feel and act so completely in the moment, so

immersed in the time that they are visiting, that they will actually ease the
burden of their presence on the time stream. It is during these moments
when temps can accidentally become the progenitors of historical
events.
This is when, either by using their knowledge of the past or by accident,

the temps make history. A Zeitgeist is when the temps drop an apple on
Isaac Newton's head. Or while in the 80s they incidentally popularize the
slang word “rad.” Or, after saving Shakespeare's life, they turn to him and
say, “To be or not to be, that is the question, right?” and he's hearing the
line for the first time.
Zeitgeist allows the players to select one single occurrence of a number in

the Matrix and remove it. And then remove one instance of it from the
Anachronometer.
If that number is the same value as any locked-in Paradox Die, those dice
are now unlocked. Remove any effects they might be causing.
This may de-escalate the Anomalies, which will affect future Anomalies
created with this Matrix, but does not affect any Anomalies that may
already exist.
In order to do all this, the temps must give birth to an idea, trend, invention
or cliché that is historically accurate for the time they're in. They don't
need to take credit for it (and in many cases probably shouldn't), but they
should be the driving force behind it. If the origin of the idea is known,
however the temps give birth to this idea must conform with it.
Bilocation
The riskiest option available to a temp is to come back in time to the

moment of need and give yourself a helping hand. But some things you
just have to do literally by yourself.
With Bilocation, the future versions of the temps immediately show up to

help out. These are full-blown temps under the control of the players of
the original temps.
A single Synchronicity token allows for one or more of the temps on the
current team to bring back a single future version. For any single temp to
have more than one future self present, another token must be spent per
extra future temp.
While the future temps remain, the temps risk Paradox when rolling, even if
there are no Paradox Dice locked in. Also, the local bonus cannot remove
it.
Each future version of the temp must exhibit some sign or indication that
they have changed in some way since they were the current version of
the temp. Before the temp can use Bilocation again, all of these changes
must come about.
Thanks to the element of surprise and the benefit of hindsight, the very first
thing a future temp does only requires minor effort and has one bonus.
They know exactly where to be and what to do, so they can do it with
casual confidence.
Future temps may also bring along specialized equipment and other
necessary items. As long as a future temp is around, there is no need to
spend a Deus ex Machina for equipment they could be carrying.
Information & the Bilocated Temp
Information about what's yet to come can be a very dangerous thing. It's
why Bilocated temps always risk Paradox. But it's also a very useful tool.
While Bilocated, future temps do not need to make rolls to be informed
about events that are about to happen. They can simply remember them.
However, sharing this information is a perilous prospect.
When a future temp imparts knowledge of a future event, the player must
choose one of the following options:
Unreliable Information—The temp may or may not be telling the truth. This
may be a ploy to get the past temps to do what they must do, but
wouldn't if they knew the truth. Or it may simply be the truth. There's no
way of telling. And there are no requirements that must be met for this
option.
Prophetic Information—The player may spend a Synchronicity Token on

an Epiphany to make everything the future temp reveals to be true
without causing undue harm to the timeline.
Irresponsible Information—The temp's information is true and knowing it

could possibly result in actions that contradict future events. Every time
the players choose this option, immediately roll the Paradox Dice as if a
number threatening Paradox had just been entered into the Matrix.
Anomalies
As the temps mess around in time, the fabric of the universe gets worn thin
and strange things start to occur. These are the Anomalies. Random
events that can help, but usually hinder the temps in their quest for an
anachronism-free world.
An Anomaly occurs whenever a number is placed in the Matrix adjacent

to a number of the same value. When this happens, the GM chooses an
Anomaly from the list of available ones (or makes up one that fits the
parameters) and immediately adds it to the story.
Anomalies are measures on three axes: ephemeral to persistent, benign to

hostile, and subtle to obvious. The first Anomaly is always ephemeral,
benign, and subtle. Which means the first Anomaly is always Déjà Vu.
After the first Anomaly, the GM picks one of the axes to escalate, and
checks it off on the Matrix Sheet. From that point forward, all Anomalies in
this Matrix will be persistent, hostile, or obvious.
Anomalies get escalated again after every two new ones and after the
2nd and 3rd Paradox Dice are locked in. Once all three axes have been
escalated you can ignore any further instructions to escalate.
Each category has its own set of rules that all Anomalies in that category
follow.
There is a list of Anomalies on the handout at the end of this PDF, but that
list is not exhaustive. You are encouraged to make up your own and add
them to each of the categories. Many of these can also be adapted to
other categories with minor changes.
Ephemeral to Persistent
Ephemeral Anomalies are momentary. They happen and then they're

gone. The results of what they did may be far reaching, but the source of
Anomaly is no longer present.
Persistent Anomalies remain, and will continue to remain, doing what they
do, until the temps do something about them. If the temps leave without
clearing it up, they will likely be sent back to deal with it. Often they'll be
sent to a later date, after the Anomaly has wreaked a little havoc.
Benign to Hostile
A benign Anomaly will not do any harm to a person, either physically or

psychologically. At worse, they can annoy or embarrass someone. But no
one is in any real danger.
Hostile Anomalies are outright hazards and can often be lethal. When a
hostile anomaly first appears, every temp in the area immediately gets an
Incident Report, and most likely knocked around a bit.
Subtle to Obvious
This axis refers to how evident it is that the Anomaly is not natural, not
something that would have otherwise happened. Subtle Anomalies are
the sorts of things folks dismiss as perhaps unusual, but nothing suspicious.
A subtle Anomaly would not threaten someone's understanding of how
the universe works.
Obvious Anomalies simply don't make sense to most. They can appear to
be magic to the superstitious, or some sort of super science, but in the
end, they are clearly unnatural. Anything involving an obvious Anomaly
automatically risks Paradox even if there are no Paradox Dice locked in.
And the local bonus has no effect on it.
Déjà Vu
This is the only Anomaly that is ephemeral, benign and subtle. It is also
always the first Anomaly. Even if there has already been escalation, the
first Anomaly that occurs in each Matrix is always déjà vu.
Déjà vu means that the temps will experience some things as if they had
already happened. Once this Anomaly occurs, anytime a player has
bonuses left over and they've already rolled, they can spend these
bonuses, one at a time, to re-roll one of the dice. This represents the temp
experiencing the same moment over and over, trying to get it exactly
right.
After this Anomaly is activated, the GM picks an axis to escalate.

Modifiers
How Bonuses Work
Bonuses are the temps' way to get a leg up on the competition. They
come from a lot of sources, but they're essentially advantages that the
temp can exploit to make the situations involving a roll more favorable.
In a situation where you should roll, you determine how many bonuses you
have. You can spend these bonuses on a one-for-one basis to get the
advantages detailed below. But once you've plugged a number into the
Matrix, you're done with your bonuses until the next time you need to roll.
Bonuses spent on one roll do not disappear, and can be spent on a future
roll.
There are 3 ways to use a bonus:
Risk Avoidance—You can spend one bonus each to prevent your temp
from risking Failure or Incident. You cannot prevent the risk of Paradox
unless you have a bonus that comes from a local helping you.
Mitigating Circumstances—You can spend one bonus to shift the Effort or

Effect, whichever one the GM set, one level. This changes both the die
size and the description of what is happening in the fiction.
Déjà Vu—If the Déjà Vu Anomaly is in play, you can spend your bonuses,
one at a time, to re-roll one of the dice you rolled. Each time you re-roll,
you must use the next smaller size, except d4s which are re-rolled as d4s.
How Penalties Work
Penalties are what brings the temps down. Just like bonuses, you count
them up whenever there's a situation that requires a roll. The GM then
spends them to counter the temp's efforts and to generally make things
more difficult.
There are 2 ways for penalties to be spent:
Counteraction—The GM can eliminate the temp's bonuses by spending

penalties on a one-for-one basis. This can be done before any decisions
are made, or to block a bonus just as the player is about to use it.
Mitigating Circumstances—The GM can spend one penalty to shift the

Effort or Effect, whichever one the player set, one level. This changes both
the die size and the description of what is happening in the fiction.
Sources of Bonuses & Penalties
Almost all the sources of bonuses and penalties are listed below, and
each one of them comes with their own set of parameters. They are: the
temp's C.V., Incident Reports, Progress Reports, Cooperation, the Local
Bonus, Situational Advantage, Temporal Project Specification Reports and
the Temporal Villainy Index Penalty. The only bonus not listed below is the
one Bilocated temps get on their first action.
Curriculum Vitae
The Power of the Résumé
Each player should write a C.V. for their temp. The basic structure should
include three jobs (or achievements or recreational activities), each with
two bullet points worth of related skills underneath.
Job, Achievement, Academic History or Hobby

During the game, the temps can get bonuses from their C.V. if the jobs or
skills listed are applicable to what they are trying to do. They get one
bonus if anything on their C.V. is applicable. They can get two bonuses if
skills from two separate jobs are applicable.
No more than two bonuses can be drawn from a single C.V.
Incident Reports
Speed Bumps on the Road to Success
As the temps incur Incident, the GM needs to fill out Incident Reports.
There are two types of Incident Reports: verbal and written. Verbal reports
are temporary, and go away after they are used for a penalty. Written
reports are a little more durable.
When an Incident occurs, the GM writes down the nature of the Incident
on a report. If more than one temp already has an Incident Report, this
report will be a written one. Otherwise, it must be a verbal one.
If it is a written report, the GM also writes down what corrective actions

must be taken to remove it.
If it makes sense that a particular Incident would make whatever the

temp is trying to do more difficult, then the GM may get a penalty from it.
No more than two Incident Reports can grant penalties for the same roll.
Progress Reports
After each adventure in time, the temps return to the office and have a
debriefing with their manager. During each debriefing you will get
feedback from your fellow temps and your manager about how well
you've been doing and where you need improvement. You'll have your
own say, too. In your defense and as feedback for the other temps.
This feedback will address two specific areas: Valued Contributions and
Improvement Opportunities. For each debriefing, select two things that
were said about your Valued Contributions and two things that were said
about your Improvement Opportunities and record them in your Progress
Report.
Valued Contributions—During a mission, if one of your Valued

Contributions is relevant to a roll, you can claim one bonus. You may only
claim one bonus per roll this way.
If, after all is said and done, you succeed at the roll, without Incident, put
a check mark in the box next to the Contribution to indicate that you've
demonstrated consistent work. You cannot claim a bonus for this
Contribution again.
Improvement Opportunity—If one of your Improvement Opportunities is

relevant to a roll, you can give the GM a penalty to use against you.
If you succeed at this roll, with or without Incident, you can put a check
mark in the box next to the Opportunity to indicate that you've shown
improvement.
Quarterly Review—After you've started a new Progress Report, you can

chat with the GM to figure out something new to add to your C.V. based
on the Contributions and Opportunities you checked off.
Cooperation
If two or more temps work together, they can get an extra bonus if the
lead temp has some sort of leadership skills on their C.V., or both the lead
temp and a helping temp have jobs on their C.V. that might apply to the
situation. If an Incident occurs while temps are cooperating, all
cooperating temps take incidents.
Temps with leadership skills, or just particularly persuasive temps, can also
claim this bonus if they manage to convince skilled locals to do their dirty
work for them.
The Local Bonus
Getting the locals to work for you has a couple of advantages. It can turn
a roll based on a skill set you don't have into a roll based on your natural
persuasiveness. You can get the cooperation bonus. And, if one or more
locals is doing your dirty work for you, you can spend the bonus they give
you from cooperation on avoiding the risk to Paradox.
Situational Advantage
If the player sets the effort and they describe something in the
environment that gives them an advantage, such as an overturned table
to hide behind in a sword fight or Barry White on the stereo during a
seduction, they may claim one bonus from situational advantage.
If they don't claim it, the GM may describe something in the environment
that hinders or works against the temp and claim one penalty.
If the temp failed, and the player wishes to retry, the advantage goes to
whoever did not claim it the first time, but you still have to describe how
you got it.
Temporal Project Specification Reports
Players are encouraged to file TPS Reports with the GM. These are reports
on a time period, culture, event, historical person, or anything else the
player is interested in their temp encountering. The reports are nothing
more than a title and three facts about the subject. They let the GM know
what the players are interested in and help them plan future adventures.
If your temp filed a TPS Report pertinent to the adventure at hand, then
you may treat each fact on the sheet as if it were a bullet point on your
C.V. In addition, TPS Report bonuses work just like the Local Bonus when it
comes to avoiding the risk of Paradox.
Temporal Villainy Index Penalty
Threats rated on the TVI give the GM a number of penalties equal to their
Menace Rating. These are only used when the temps directly interfere
with the menace. Any time the GM needs to use all of these penalties on
a single roll, the threat's menace rating is reduced by one for the rest of
the adventure. This affects both the amount of penalties available for
future rolls and how often they cause a Paradox roll.
Other Ways to Affect Rolls
Beyond Bonuses and Penalties, there are three other ways to affect the
rolls that the temps make: Bickering, the Leading Edge Die and Taking
One for the Team.
Bickering
If the temps are fighting each other and one is rolling, they can add the
Bickering Die to the roll. It's another die, the same size as the rest. Before
the number for the Matrix is chosen, any single temp involved in the roll or
fight can take an additional Incident Report (as the result of the infighting)
and then eliminate the lowest die, leaving better options on the table.
The Leading Edge Die
When you're farther into the future than you have ever been, you have
the Leading Edge Die. Any time you roll, roll an extra die of the same size.
Then, before deciding which result to put in the Matrix, you may eliminate
any one die you just rolled. Once you risk Paradox, you can no longer
have the Leading Edge.
Taking One for the Team
After you've rolled the dice and spent your bonuses, if you still don't like
the results, you can simply choose a number to enter into the Matrix and
succeed. Then roll a d12. If you rolled that number or higher, your temp
has been critically injured in a manner of the GM's choosing. If you rolled
less, your temp perished in the line of duty in a manner of your choosing.
And now on to the General Management Policy . . .

General Management
Policy
Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834

Table of Contents
Introduction 2
At the Tone . . . 2
Training Wheels & Safety Nets 2
About Marigold Staffing & BCE, Inc. 3

The Joys of Temporary Employment 3
Temps Out of Time 3
The Office 4
Co-Workers 4
The Tools 5
Rules, Regulations & Reports 6
Adventures in Time! 10
The Mystery in Time Travel 12
Threats to Existence 12
The Keeley-Sullivan Temporal Villainy Index 12
Temporal Enemies 101 13
The Continuing Journey 15

The Matrix Over the Years 15
The Temporal Project Specification Reports 15
Progress Reports & Quarterly Reviews 16
1
Introduction
This book is written with the General Manager in mind, but that doesn’t mean
the players should avoid it. There are no spoilers, and the curious will only be
rewarded with a better understanding of how the game works.
There are three parts to this book. The first is about the world of Time & Temp,
focusing specifically on the offices, personnel, and technologies of Browne
Chronometric Engineering, Inc. The second part will run you through the
various rules to the game, explaining a bit about why some things are the way
they are, and how to best use them. The third part will outline the typical Time
& Temp adventure, offer a few menaces to throw at the temps, and explain how
to make the game work over the long term.
At the Tone . . .
Time & Temp is a lighthearted game about dire situations and consequences.
The players play temps, the lowest part of the office food chain, marginalized by
co-workers who can’t be bothered to learn their names. The players play time
travelers, at the command of one of the most astounding powers imaginable. All
of reality trembles when they walk across the eras. Like magicians, they can
reach through the ages and conjure whatever they please. And at the end of the
day, they’re behind on their projects and the boss is upset with the number of
personal e-mails they’re making.
Humor will serve you well playing this game, but don’t be afraid to make things
serious every so often. After all, very few things are as serious as a velociraptor
at the ’84 homecoming parade.
Training Wheels & Safety Nets
You know how when you first start a job, you’re eager to please and follow all
the instructions to the letter. It’s a good instinct, especially if you haven’t had a
job like it before. Better safe than sorry and all that. But then eventually, as you
follow all the procedures, you start to notice a few of them are just slowing you
down. You find you own shortcuts and ways to get the job done. Or at least
create the illusion that you’re getting the job done.
You should treat this book in the same fashion. The rules and guidelines in here
are your training wheels. Keep them on in the beginning, at least until you find
your balance. Then, if you find a few of them are not helping, or you’ve got a
better idea of how to handle something, you can drop and change them as you
please.
2
But you should also consider them safety nets. If, as you’re playing the game,
you go too far afield and things start to drag, come on back to the trusty General
Management Policy and see if that doesn’t help.
About Marigold Staffing & BCE, Inc.

The relationship between Marigold Staffing and Browne Chronometric
Engineering, Inc., is a tight one. Marigold recruits exclusively for BCE, and in
return BCE hires exclusively from Marigold Staffing. With this sort of
relationship, you’d think the temps could get some recourse.
The Joys of Temporary Employment
In the field, the world is the temps’ oyster. They can go anywhere, be anyone
and practically do anything. But at home, they are still temps. The work
environment at BCE, Inc., is not exactly hostile, but it would not be unjust to
describe it as uncaring. When the players want something out of the office side
of their temp’s life, there’s a mountain of red tape and negotiations involved.
As the Placement Manager at Marigold Staffing, Carol Ann Foreman is about

the closest thing the temps have to an ally in the office world. She’ll fiercely
defend them and fight for their rights, raises and benefits. Or, at least, that’s
what she tells them.
The temps’ status as temps should prevent them from effectively improving
their work conditions. Aside from the Quarterly Reviews, which should happen
whenever requested, anything else the temps want should be denied through
deflection. “Oh, I’m just waiting for George to call me back on that one, and
then we’ll go ahead and send the request through.”
Temps Out of Time

As part of their exclusive contract with BCE, Inc., Marigold Staffing has limited
access to some of the world’s most cutting edge temporal technology. This has
allowed them to recruit temps from any nook of the world and any cranny of
history. While both Marigold Staffing and BCE, Inc., are located in present day
downtown New York City, that does in no way limit our temps to being modern
New Yorkers (or God forbid the occasional New Jerseyan).
Cave men, Victorian detectives, musicians from the Titanic, and ace space pilots
from 2307 AD are all fair game.
3
The Office
Located in beautiful downtown New York City, the BCE Building is an
imposing structure covered in large, black tinted windows. The lobby is also
imposing, with vaulted ceilings and black tiled floors. In the center of it is a
morbid, rusting statue of a man in anguish with “In Memoriam” printed at the
base.
But from the elevator on, it’s all creams, eggshells, and off-whites. The floor the
temps work on is decorated sparsely with the occasional plastic plant and oil
painting of ships at sea in storms.
The temps themselves will have cubicles, although they may not have enough
cubicles to seat every temp. Some will have to share. The same holds true for
computers and chairs.
Co-Workers
The other floors of BCE, Inc., are teeming with folks from other times and
places. There are plenty of opportunities for temps to occasionally run into
Vikings or redcoats. But most of their days are spent in forced blandness. This is
to preserve their unimportance and optimize their use as paradox eschewing
time traveling machines.
There are, however, three characters the temps will run into on a regular basis:
Todd
Todd is 25 years old, just out of business school and probably more successful
than all the temps combined. He’s also their trainer. He has, and probably never
will, remember the temps’ names. His job is to brief the temps on their
assignments and get them going, and he almost always operates under the
assumption that the temps have already been briefed.
Mr. George
Mr. George is the Directing Manager of Chronometric Maintenance. A stern but
fair man who will likely be presiding over the temp’s de-briefings and Quarterly
Reviews. He’s an honest boss, perhaps to a fault, as he lacks tact.
Barry
Barry is the Managing Director of Temporal Preservation. He’s the kind of guy
who just wants everyone to be his friend, which often leaves him just telling
people what they want to hear, rather than the truth. Part of Barry’s job is to
preside over the temps’ de-briefings and Quarterly Reviews.
4
The Tools
In addition to the on the job training and preparation mentioned in the Employee
Handbook, the temps will also have access to the following vital bits of time
travel technology.
The Domed Room

There is a hallway just feet from the temps’ cubicles that leads to a single beige,
aluminum door. Behind this door is a circular room. The walls of the room are
draped in red velvet curtain, behind which is faux wood paneling. In the center
of the room is a scarlet circular settee. The ceiling is a white dome lit by lights
tucked behind the faux wood paneling. Opposite the door is a short file cabinet
on top of which there’s a Commodore 64.
This is the commute. The ride. The time machine. Todd takes the temps in,
plugs a few figures into the Commodore and leaves them to it. When traveling
through time the room will shake a little and a projection of the sky will appear
on the domed ceiling. This projection will appear in dizzying time lapse as the
machine speeds through time towards the destination date.
There are three important features of the room: the rust-colored, plush carpeting
is generally safe to fall on, the door can be locked from the inside, and there’s a
return key on the Commodore that brings the Domed Room back to the office
moments after it left.
When the Domed Room arrives at its destination, it appears as a doorway that
exist only from the front.
Front Side Back
5
The Ansari Anachronometer
The key to the Domed Room is attached to a device that looks
like a long black plastic box, about the size of a remote control,
covered in LEDs. This is the Ansari Anachronometer. It lights
up in accordance to the results being recorded on the
Anachronometrics on the Matrix sheet.
The temps are under explicit instructions not to lose or let

harm befall the Ansari Anachrometer during their missions.
Particularly not to let it fall into the hands of the locals.
Though the odds of this happening are drastically reduced by
the fact that the key to their ride home is attached to it.
Once the mission is over, the Ansari Anachronometer is to be returned to Todd

immediately so that its readings can be recorded and programmed into it
moments before Todd handed it over to the temps earlier today.
The Office Survival Kit

Tucked into the file cabinet in the Domed Room is also a standard office
survival kit for up to three persons. The kit includes:
 A comprehensive first-aid kit;
 3-day supply of water rations;
 12 food bars;
 Three Mylar thermal blankets;
 Two hand-crank flashlights;
 One hand-crank radio;
 Six emergency light sticks;
 Six flares;
 Six candles;
 A box of waterproof matches;
 A compass;
 And six sanitation bags.
Rules, Regulation & Reports

The five rules pullouts cover a wide breadth of situations and occurrences
without delving too deeply into any of them. They are the rules of the game, but
they don’t tell you how you should be using them. Fortunately, we have the
General Management Policy to help us out.
Effort & Effect

The discussion over effort and effect should be handled as a discussion. There
will probably be a lot of back and forth, as the players may want to adjust the
effort until you’re willing to give them the effect they want. There’s nothing
6
wrong with that. Don’t let the effort and effect bartering go on for too long, but
definitely don’t try to shorten it by insisting that the player set theirs first.
Information!
This rule is the easiest, cheapest way for the temps to get what they want
plugged into the Matrix. A quick glance around when Failure and Incident are at
risk means the player is rolling three d12s and taking the pick of the litter.
Encourage this!
And then exploit this opportunity. If they fail, what do they fail to find? If
you’re answer is “Nothing, really,” then you aren’t doing this right. If the
players want to risk failure on a roll, you should come up with a consequence for
that.
And if they succeed, feed them all they need to know. A player in the dark is
just a frustrated player. If they rolled for information, give them information.
Reveal a hefty chunk of the menace’s plot. Put them on the course towards
confrontation and resolution.
Risking Failure & Incident

Don’t go overboard with the giving the players risk. The more they risk, the
more dice they get to choose from, the more control they have over the Matrix.
If the temp tries to do something that is opposed by another character, and they
don’t risk Failure or Incident, they are stuck with whatever that single die gives
them.
A special case to keep in mind is that temps who can do things normal people
can’t do, still risk Failure when they try them. They just have to use the bonuses
on their C.V. to remove that risk. It works like this:
 Mr. Bizarre, the World’s Mightiest Mage, is slumming it as a temp.
 He can do all sorts of things normal folks can’t, including turning into a
bear.
 Every time he tries to turn into a bear, he risks Failure, because a normal
folks can certainly fail to do that.
 He spends a bonus from his C.V. to avoid the risk of Failure.
 Now he’s rolling whatever die the effort and effect give him and plugging
that into the Matrix;
 Because there are no historical accounts of people actually turning into
bears and if that were to change, we could have a Paradox.
Failure & Incident

When temps do fail, make sure you have their players describe how the failure
occurred. It’s easy to get into the mode where you translate the results for
everyone, but that’s not the General Manager’s job.
7
When an Incident occurs, you don’t have to go with the obvious. Incident
reports do not have always be some sort of physical harm. They be things like
“Snorri believes you’re a liar,” or “Stuck with a persistent case of the hiccups,”
or “The rest of the village now blames you for the deaths of their men folk.”
Keep in mind what sort of Incident Reports you’re writing, too. If less than two
Incident Reports are sitting on the table, whatever Incident you come up with
should be fairly temporary. But if two or more are out there, get a little brutal.
Bonuses & Penalties

Most sources of bonuses or penalties can only give you one. If the temps want
more than that, they’re going to have to dig deep.
There are several loopholes specifically set up in the system to encourage the
players to incorporate them. For instance, risking Paradox is one of the more
dangerous elements of the game, and the most effective way to combat that is
for the temps to trick the local population into doing what needs be done. This is
both because it makes sense that if locals do something, it may be much more in
line with how history remembered it and because the story gets much more
interesting when the temps interact with the locals.
If it seems like the temps are always exploiting a particular resource, it may be
exactly what they should be doing. The only exceptions to this are the two
bonuses from the C.V. You can be pretty liberal with allowing that first bonus,
but you should be equally as stingy with that second on. The bonus system
works best if the temps aren’t just relying on their superior skills all the time.
Bickering
Temps like to take their frustrations out on each other. There are no rules in this
game for two temps out and out fighting each other. That sort of thing is best
handled by calling in Human Resources. But the bicker bonus offers a
delightfully passive-aggressive alternative to fisticuffs. If you notice the temps
at each other’s throats, suggest they bicker each other. Then, when no one
accepts the extra Incident, they can always blame each other for the bad roll.

Be truly brutal with this. When a temp takes one for the team, they’re putting
their all on the line. There’s nothing glorious about saving the world and
stubbing your toe in the process. But lose a hand and they’ll write songs about
you at the office holiday party. Also keep in mind if the temp has been Bilocated
recently and needs to lose an eye to explain a mysterious eye patch on the future
temp.
8
Synchronicities
Once the players get a synchronicity, the game is wrapping up. These are
powerful and they’re meant to be that way. Resist the urge to toss them another
challenge by diminishing the impact of a Synchronicity. Certainly don’t give
them a cakewalk, that’s just as disappointing; but never let a Synchronicity have
a less than dramatic impact. They work hard for them.
Anomalies
Many of the Anomalies listed on the pullout can be scaled up or down in the
various axes to make them applicable in a number of different situations.
Consider having the temps being haunted by the same anomaly. Maybe the same
person keeps being sucked out of time and dropped in front of them. Consider
personalizing the anomalies, too. Maybe this person is one of the temps’
mothers. Or maybe a different temp’s mother each time. And if you got a motif
going, consider escalating. May be this mother is sick of this happening, and is
now carrying pepper spray, just wait for it to happen one more time.
Paradox
This is the end. If that fourth Paradox Die locks in, take a moment to collect
yourselves, and then go out and drink to the world that never was, thanks to you.
Drink until you can’t hear the dreams that were never dreamt. Drink until all the
children’s laughter that will never be laughed is slowly, and methodically
drowned out by the growing numbness. Drink until you know what it feels like
to never be in the first place.
Then start again with new temps and a new Todd and whole new world.
One the Job Training & Preparation

The whole reason why these things exist is so that every single one of your
adventures doesn’t have to be about the temps being fishes out of the water.
That doesn’t mean that this couldn’t be fun every now and then. None of these
preparations are 100% infallible. You certainly can set up the occasional
adventure where the temps can’t communicate properly, or are treated as the
wrong members of society, or have to avoid contact with some horrible disease,
if you want.
The Future
Most of the rules in the game focus on traveling to the past, but that doesn’t
preclude the temps from taking jaunts into the future. BCE, Inc., certainly has a
stake in the future. And because we are in fact the future’s past, there’s still that
risk of a temp learning or doing something in the future that would set off a
chain of events that would ultimately prevent them from learning or doing it.
Poof! Paradox. All the rules are still applicable, but keep in mind the Leading
Edge Die.
9
Adventures in Time!
This is how it all goes down. Grab your friends, grab your dice, grab some
snacks, and fresh Matrix. Time to fix time!
Temps at Work
Start the game off right, with the temps staring at their cubicle walls. Let them
stew for a few moments in the off-white glory of the office. Due to limited space,
several temps may have to share same cubicle, sitting back-to-back with rolling
chairs packed in so tight, they can’t roll. Most of them will also be assigned
tasks such as filing, sorting the mail, and sitting in for the receptionist when she
takes her lunch break.
Enter Todd
After a minute or two, have Todd collect the temps (not by name, of course).
He’ll walk them down the hall towards the commute, talking to them about the
project they’re getting, assuming they know far more about it than they actually
do. Todd ain’t one for listening, but he should answer any questions. Tersely and
a little put off.
The Commute
Inside the domed room, Todd’ll tap some keys on the Commodore, wish the
temps good luck, toss them the Ansari Anachronometer, and close the door on
his way out. Pick a temp, any temp willing to step up to the Commodore and
have that player make the insertion roll.
Have the player describe their temp’s effort. The effect is shoving several people
into a time in which they don’t belong, so it’s extensive. Risking Incident is a-
okay and can lead to a lot of fun, but the players may not risk Failure unless
they’ve already been to this Matrix.
Make the roll, whip out the Matrix and plug it in. We’re on our way!
The domed ceiling of the room dissolves into a montage of sky as the seasons
pass by at breakneck speeds which in turn melts into a gray blur. As they
approach their destination, the process reverses until the sky is still once more.
The Door Opens

If Incident occurred, make it a bumpy landing. Put them in a lake, or on the edge
of a cliff. Somewhere dangerous enough to dole out an Incident Report right
away. As soon as that door opens, put them in the thick of it.
 Have them mistaken for long awaited friends or help;
 Have the door open into the middle of a battle, where soldiers on both
sides mistake them for the enemy;
10
 Place them in the middle of a busy thoroughfare stuffed with gawking
people;
 Have someone crying for help in the distance;
 Or better yet, have them arrive just in time to accidentally save someone.
Whatever you do, give them something to do immediately.
Adventure!
From here, nothing is typical. What the temps do will likely surprise you, and
with a bit of luck entertain you. Don’t plan this part of the game too much. Just
have plenty of hooks for them to grab onto.
If you’ve got a snazzy menace, and you hide it behind a couple mysteries,
everything should turn out all right. The temps will make a few rolls, chase
down a few leads, party with the locals, and then BANG, Synchronicity. Next
thing you know, they’re sweeping up the mess and getting the hell out of there
before they end the universe themselves.
Return to the Office

With the completed Ananchronometer—and possibly your menace—in tow,
they all pile back into the domed room and hit the return key. Slap the date and
location on the Matrix, as well as the values of any locked Paradox Dice, and
toss it back into the folder. A job well done. Or at least a job done.
The Debriefing
Afterwards, gather all the temps in a meeting room and have one of the
managers preside over the de-briefing. Go around the table, and single out each
temp for a round of cheers and jeers.
In the debriefing, each temp listens to all the other temps take turns offering
compliments about his or her performance in the field. Even the presiding
manager, played by the GM, and the temp in the spotlight get to offer a Valued
Contribution. Then the temps player records two of these offerings in the
progress report.
Then there’s the Improvement Opportunity round, in which everyone, including

the GM and the temp in the hot seat, gets a chance to talk about the temp’s
shortcomings in the recent mission. And again, the temp’s player records their
two favorite offerings from this round in the progress report.
Once all the temps have had a chance to endure this lovely process, the game is
over . . . for now.
11
The Mystery in Time Travel
A sense of mystery is at the core of many time travel stories. A good time travel
story feels like a puzzle. You need to piece together all the bits of information
you’ve got so you can see the outline of the missing bits. And then it dawns on
you, just what’s been going on all along. He’s remembering things backwards!
There’s two of her running around! Even if they do stop this robot, they can’t
stop the future!
That’s all good stuff, but it’s all very difficult to do in a game like this. And it’s
very easy to make it a hot, frustrating mess. Time & Temp is designed to handle
this problem, but in order for it to work, you may need to handle mysteries in a
specific way.
Go ahead and have mysteries in your adventure, but don’t make the players
experience the mysteries like their temps. If the menace has created a red herring
to draw the temps off his scent, draw them off his scent. But the moment
someone makes an information roll, put them right back on his scent. Do not
make the players try to cipher it out. Their temps just did, right there with that
roll. The players have enough puzzling to do as they try to sort out the Matrix.
Likewise, if you want to deceive the temps to lure them into a trap, wait for the
opportunity. When the temps blow an information roll and choose failure, feed
them the false information. Players know the information is wrong—they’re the
ones that failed the roll—but trust them to run their temps right into the trap.
Threats to Existence
The majority of the time the temps will be dealing with a menace: some one or
something which threatens the timeline. These menaces can take many forms,
including the form of a non-menace. But there’s two things all these menaces
have in common: they’re all the root of the problem and they all have a rating on
the Keeley-Sullivan Temporal Villainy Index.
The Keeley-Sullivan Temporal Villainy Index

Any creatures, person or force stuck out of their time, or somehow threatening
the stability of the temporal structure has a rating on the TVI. Ratings are from 0
to 4, with a rating of 0 being something which threatens Paradox because it
exists but does not actively work towards it and a rating of 4 being an army of
future cyborgs trying to assassinate every president the United States ever had.
12
The rating is arrived at by asked four straight forward questions about the
menace. For each question answered positively, the rating goes up one. For each
one answered negatively, the rating remains the same.
Is the subject actively pursuing a paradoxical goal?

Specifically, is the subject trying to do something that would inevitably prevent
them from having tried to do it in the first place?
Does the subject possess capabilities beyond that of a

predominate population of the time they are in?
This is actually the 1963 version of this particular question, updated by Dr.
Keeley. When the index was first created by Dr. Sullivan, the question matched
the subject’s capabilities against that of a number of specifically named small,
but fiery mustelids. While the original version is considered to be more accurate,
the later version is much easier to calculate on the fly.
Does the subject possess the ability to travel freely in time?

Incidentally, this alone gives the temps a TVI rating of 1.
Does the subject possess a way to propagate itself?

This question is typically applied to viruses and such, but has been known to
apply to ideas, an alien race of spectral lovers, and particularly charismatic
leaders who are able to create causes bigger than themselves.
Temporal Enemies 101

Creating a menace is almost as easy as just answering the TVI questions. Just
give them a quick reason for why they might be threatening a paradox and a
modus operandi.
It’s important to note that for the purpose of the game, the TVI rating is only
applied to the main menace of any given adventure. A kill-crazy, shape-shifting
android pull through an Anomaly in to court of King Louis XIV may seem like
it has a TVI rating of 2, but if the temps were already dealing with a different
menace, the android would not grant the GM penalties nor cause the periodic
rolling of the Paradox Dice. Now if the temps came back for him in another
adventure, the TVI would be in full effect.
Here are some temporal menaces to get you started. This is about the only part
of the General Management Policy that might contain spoilers. So if you’re not a
GM and you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t turn that page.
13
Mother of Grendel TVI: 3
Mother of Grendel was a former robotics engineer at BCE, Inc., who snapped in
the year 2034 after having to build just one too many monstrous doppelgangers
for some of histories vilest people.
Rogue temps working for BCE, Inc., kept trying to prevent atrocities by
assassinating those responsible before it happened. The responsibility fell to
Mother of Grendel to lead a team in creating a convincing robot that would take
over where the assassinated maniac left off.
Now she’s hatched a plan to create a historical Grendel to terrorize the historical
Hrothgar to lure the temps to her, where she can slay them before she has to
make another genocidal megalomaniac.
The Brood Club TVI: 2

Monsters do exist, they’re just ahistorical. In 1834, a group of werewolves,
naturally of that time, plotted to attack and turn President Andrew Jackson into
one of them. This of course did not happen, as there’s no account of it in the
historical record, but no one of that time is capable of stopping it. Or so says
Todd.
Dr. Thraxis TVI: 3

Not every temporal scientist subscribes to BCE, Inc.’s Overriding Theory of the
Fragile Immutability of Time. And not every menace is violent.
Dr. Thraxis is a scientist simply trying to test the hypothesis that all of reality
would unravel if a paradox occurred. So he’s traveled through time conducting
extensive research and experiments leading up to an attempt to prevent a
particular person from appearing in the background of the 1987 broadcast of
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade by delaying her in traffic.
The Perseus Gang TVI: 1

Perseus is a prison satellite that orbits the Earth in the near future. The Perseus
Gang is a trio of prisoners there who haplessly found themselves a wormhole
hidden under one of their bunks. Giddy at the thought of escaping, they jumped
through and ended up in the American Wild West, where they quickly sold their
garish orange jumpsuits for a bite to eat and a hand gun.
They’re not much for planning, nor much for thinking, but the way they figure
it, if they play their cards right, they just might end up owning this here town.
14
The Continuing Journey
Time & Temp is a game designed to be played over many adventures, as the
temps bulk up their C.V.s and begin to become a tad ubiquitous.
The Matrix Over the Years
Each Matrix is unique to its time and place. When the temps leave, they leave it
behind. And when they go somewhen else, they start anew with a fresh, empty
Matrix. But hold on to those old Matrices!
Persistent Anomalies, certain Synchronicities, and even interesting people and

places can call a temp back, sometimes to the very moment he or she left.
When the temps leave a Matrix, all the Synchronicity Tokens are immediately
removed, but everything else stays and any Paradox Dice that were locked in are
recorded on the Matrix sheet. So when the temps return, they may have a bit of
an uphill battle ahead of them.
And this is why you should keep looking for excuses to send them back to the
same time and place. Anomalies they have to clean up, promises they want to
keep, characters who have captured their interests, and so forth.
When the temps want to almost go back, when they want to go back, but a year
earlier or a few months later, or perhaps the same time but in a neighboring
village, when this happens, you don’t want to give them the same Matrix, but
you don’t want to give them a clean one either.
A good way to handle this is to take the used Matrix, roll three d12s and erase
every instance of those results from the Matrix and the Anachronometrics,
releasing any Paradox Dice that might be locked in on them. (Keeping in mind
that this might even de-escalate the Anomalies, too).
The Temporal Project Specification Reports
When all of time’s your playground, where do you play?
The TPS Reports can be your best friends. They’re dead simple. Just have the
players jot down on a note card some place they want their temps to visit or
some event they want to get mixed up in, and then three facts related to the topic.
The players get bonuses out of the deal and you get a hint as to where next to
take the adventure. It gives the players the chance to steer the Domed Room, and
gives you the chance to bone up on wherever they’re steering it.
15
The problem is, you don’t want to force the players to do this. It smells too
much like homework. You can have Mr. George or Barry assign them once or
twice, so everyone gets the hang of how they work, but then you’ve got to let
them arise naturally.
Progress Reports & Quarterly Review
Once the players have filled out all four sections on their Progress Reports and
had a little time in the field to check off some Improvement Opportunities and
Valued Contributions, it’s going to be time to sit down with the player and add a
little something to the temp’s C.V.
You and the player should look at the Opportunities and Contributions the temp
has checked off and try to suss out a common theme or skill. Each time a temp
has a Quarterly Review, they can only add one thing to their C.V., so don’t be
stingy. You’re not really there to veto the player’s ideas. Rather, you’re there to
help and offer suggestions. And to play the roll of Mr. George or Barry putting
the temp in the hot seat.
So make the temp sweat, but agree with the player.
When something is added to the C.V. during a Quarterly Review, it goes under a
fourth job heading labeled simply: Temp.
Giving You All the Time

In the World
16
When to Roll?
What Size Dice? How Many Dice?
When you are opposed by
Setting the Effort & the Effect Determining the Risks Involved
another character or creature.
The player and the GM should Everyone playing the game
discuss what sort of effort the should look at the situation and
When you risk failure or incident.
temp is putting forth to determine if the temp is in danger
(Roll an extra die for each risk.)
accomplish their goal, and just of failing or harming themselves,
exactly what that goal is. This is or their pride, while attempting
the effort and the effect, and this When your actions could clearly what they're attempting. These
will tell you the size of the dice change history. are the risks, and they will tell you
you'll be rolling. how many dice you will be rolling.
Everyone Decides—For the first
Extensive
Minor
Major
Player Decides—When you're
ready to roll, the player decides Effort & two risks, Failure and Incident, if
whether they want to set the anyone playing thinks the temp is
effect or the effort. Whichever
Effect at risk, then the temp is at risk. This
one they set, the GM will set the means that the GM, the temp's
other. player, or any other player can
Minor d12 d10 d8 put them at risk.
Effort—Setting the effort means
you're saying your temp is going d10 d8 d6 Risking Failure—A temp risks failure
Major
to go this far to get the job done. if there's a good chance a normal
person might not succeed at
Extensive d8 d6 d4
Effect—Setting the effect means what they're attempting to do.
you're saying this is the job the The temp may not be a normal
temp wants done and they'll do person, but that's a matter for the
whatever it takes. Roll 1 die plus: bonuses to suss out.
The other side of this card has

1 more if Failure is risked... Risking Incident—A temp risks
more details about what all this 1 more if Incident is risked... incident if there's a decent
entails. 1 more if Paradox is risked. chance they might get hurt, be
embarrassed, or suffer fallout from
This is a discussion, a back and their attempt. Incidental fallout is
forth. So if the player sets the effort not necessarily related to the
at “strolling out of the cave” and temp's success or failure.
the GM sets the effect at “not After Rolling
getting out before t-rex wakes up” Risking Paradox—The third risk,
the player is allowed to amend Decide which result to plug into Paradox, is determined by the
their effort. Or swing around and the Matrix. The lower the result, rules. If a Paradox die is locked in,
decide to set the effect instead. the better it is for your temp, but if one or more of the temps is
the more dangerous it is for reality. Bilocated, or if there is a obvious
Dice Size—Once the player has Anomaly involved, then the temp
set one and the GM set the other, If you want to... You must use... automatically risks Paradox.
cross reference them on the Effort
& Effect chart to determine the Succeed The lowest die Number of Dice—You roll one die,
size of the dice you're using. All the Without Incident plus an additional die for each of
dice you roll will be of this size. the three risks you are taking.
Succeed
Try Try Again With Incident Failure & Incident
If the temp fails at something, it's —Or— The 2nd lowest die Player Narrates Failure—When a
not over. The player is allowed to Fail without temp fails, it's up to the player to
describe failure in such a way that Incident decide just exactly why. It might
the temp could have another go, not be their fault, or they might
but only if the player set the effort. Fail and The 3rd lowest die have another shot. (See left.)
If the player set the effect they Suffer Incident
must describe failure that prevents Ties take up as many places as there are GM Doles Out Incident—When a
another attempt. tied dice. If two dice rolled ones, they temp suffers from an Incident, the
would occupy the lowest and 2nd lowest GM must fill out an Incident
On the 3rd try, the player must set places. You would have to Fail and suffer Report and explain how the
Incident to get a higher result.
the effect. Incident occurred.
Effort is a measure of the Effect is a measure of the
Extensive
Minor
Major
amount of energy and attention Effort & extent of the impact the temp’s
the temp personally puts into the actions will have. When choosing
task at hand. With effort you get Effect the effect, don't get too wrapped
to describe what resources, such up in the possible long term results,
as time, tools, techniques, the only the unavoidable results. Don't
environment, etc., you are using Minor d12 d10 d8 look at what might happen, but
to your advantage. solely at what will happen.
Major d10 d8 d6
Describing the Effort Describing the Effect
When describing the temp's effort, Extensive d8 d6 d4 Describe what the temp wants to
consider what the temp does and happen. You don't have to go
how they do it, including tools into details at this point, but if
used, precautions made, how there are an specific secondary
long it takes, resources used up, results, such as impressing
and so forth. onlookers and whatnot, be sure to
Information! mention them.
You can say what the temp is When a temp is doing research, or
trying to do, but nothing specific keeping an eye out for danger, or You should not talk about what
about the results. otherwise just looking for the temp did to accomplish this.
information, the effect is always
Minor Effort minor for the purpose of Minor Effect
These are the sort of things that determining the die size. This covers largely inconsequential
require little energy or stuff. Things that temporarily delay
concentration. Most people can Players setting effect are setting people or have no noticeable
do these things while engaged in precisely the information they are impact on an environment or
something else. Minor efforts looking for. culture. Minor effects could be:
could be: Distracting a guard.
Swatting a fly. When the GM sets it, they're Improving your great, great
Gossiping at the water cooler. setting the amount and nature of grandmother’s shortbread
Recalling a joke. the information revealed. recipe with a trick you picked
up in a Better Homes &
Major Effort Bonuses and penalties cannot Gardens from 1997.
This effort requires concentration change the effect die size.
for a brief amount of time, or more
Major Effect
casual concentration over a long These have consequences, but
period of time. Temps usually not dire ones. They divert people
cannot do anything else of note from their daily tasks, prevent
while putting forth this level of things from happening that could
effort without also taking extra
Sex & Violence happen again, or change the
time. Major efforts could be: Any act that could permanently environment or a culture in
Lunging at a runaway cat. destroy or create a sentient being significant but not drastic way.
Wooing someone in a bar. that is or will be a part of this Major effects could be:
Recalling a conversation. timeline is always an extensive Waylaying a guard to steal his
effect for the purpose of uniform.
Extensive Effort determining the die size. Helping your great, great
grandmother win first prize in a
These are long term projects or baking competition.
This includes such joys as
brief moments of exhaustive effort.
If it is the sort of project that takes unprotected sex and gunfights
with the locals. Note however that Extensive Effect
several days or longer, you can These include killing; drastically
take a few breaks to deal with characters out of their own time
could be fair game. altering an environment, society,
other matters, but that will or event; and just about anything
certainly impact how long it will of permanence. Extensive effects
take you. Or something that takes Bonuses or penalties spent to
change the level of this effect could be:
everything you've got. Extensive Getting someone pregnant.
automatically take death or
efforts could be: Helping your great, great
Engaging in a wrestling match. conception off the table.
grandmother invent chocolate
Defending yourself in court. chip cookies before Ruth
Reciting the entirety of Star Wakefield.
Wars from memory.
Insertion Roll Time:
The Matrix
Location:
Anachronometrics
Threatens Paradox
First Paradox Die
I All rolls risk Paradox,
II Players have an extra die
III whenever they roll.
IV
V
VI Second Paradox Die
Anomalies escalate.
VII
VIII
IX
X Third Paradox Die
XI Anomalies escalate.
XII
XIII-XIV
XV-XVI
XVII-XVIII Fourth Paradox Die
Nothing ever was.
XIX-XX
Synchronic Sets
9 unique
numbers in a
Anomalies Anomaly Escalation
square
Déjà Vu – Temps may use bonuses to re-roll. Choose one each time anomalies escalate.
Anomalies escalate.
Ephemeral becomes persistent. 2 cross bars, each
with 5 unique
Anomalies escalate. Benign becomes hostile. numbers
Subtle becomes obvious.
Anomalies escalate. 7 consecutive
numbers in a row
How to Use the Matrix Synchronic Sets Anachronometrics
A Synchronic Set is a pattern of numbers inside Once a number is placed in the Matrix, it must
the Matrix. Any time the players place the last also be checked off on the Anachronometer.
The Insertion Roll number in a Synchronic Set, they get a After a number has been checked off more
Synchronicity Token. This only happens when than 2 times on the Anachronometer, that
The first number plugged into the Matrix will they place the last number in the set; but any number now Threatens Paradox and the
always be the Insertion Roll, or the roll the number, including the last number, can Paradox Dice are rolled.
players make to see if their temps managed belong to more than one set. And it's possible
to operate the time machine correctly. for a number to be the last number for more The Paradox Roll
than one set, earning the players more than The Paradox Dice are four d20s, but at most
If this is the temp's first visit to this time & place one Synchronicity Token. you only ever roll 3 of them. When called to
—the Matrix is clear of numbers—then the roll the dice, the GM rolls all those that are not
Insertion Roll always goes in the upper-right There are three Synchronic Sets, which are currently locked in (max. of 3). When a
corner. illustrated on the other side of this card. Paradox Die rolls a value that Threatens
Paradox, it gets locked in on that number.
If there are numbers already in the Matrix, The 1st and easiest set to get is a square of 9 Record which dice are locked in on what
then the players can choose to risk failure for unique numbers. No two numbers in the numbers.
a chance to decide where to place the square can have the same value.
Insertion Roll. Failure means the number goes 1st Locked Die—The players risk Paradox from
in the first legal spot closest to the upper-right The 2nd is a cross with either a horizontal bar of here on out, making them roll an extra die.
corner (with the GM deciding if more than 5 numbers and a vertical bar of 5 numbers, or
one spot qualifies). Success means the players two diagonal bars of 5 numbers. The bars must 2nd Locked Die—Escalate the Anomalies.
may choose any of the available legal spots. bisect each other in the middle. Each bar
must have 5 unique numbers, but they may 3rd Locked Die—Escalate the Anomalies.
Legal Placements share numbers with each other.
4th Locked Die—All of reality never happened.
rd
Once you have at least one number in the The 3 and most difficult set to complete is a
Matrix, all other numbers must be placed in a set of 7 consecutive numbers (such as The Temporal Villainy Index
blank square that is adjacent to another 4,5,6,7,8,9,10) in a horizontal, vertical, or Whenever the temps are dealing with a
number in the Matrix and either directly to the diagonal row. menace that is rated on The Keeley-Sullivan
left or directly below that number. Temporal Villainy Index, the GM will
Anomalies periodically check off the lowest circle on this
Legal Placement end of the Anachronometer. Once the
8 X When two numbers of the same value are second circle is checked off for a set of
X 3 X placed next to each other, an Anomaly numbers, both numbers Threaten Paradox
X X X occurs. The players may take any two and the Paradox Dice are rolled.
X X X numbers in the Matrix, or a number and a
Legal Placement legal blank spot, and swap them. This will not Check off a circle for every . . .
complete a Synchronic Set or cause another
Menace Rating
Because numbers can be shifted around by Anomaly, even if it satisfies those conditions. 0 . . . two hours . . .
Anomalies, blank spaces can show up in 1 . . . hour and a half . . .
places that will make some numbers appear The GM then creates an Anomaly in the story. 2 . . . hour . . .
as if they weren't legally placed. This is okay as The 1st Anomaly is always Déjà Vu. Once it is 3 . . . 40 minutes . . .
long as the numbers were in legal spots when added, the GM checks off an Anomaly 4 . . . 20 minutes . . .
they were first placed. Escalation, altering which Anomalies can now
be added to the story. Every two Anomalies . . . of real time that passes
after that cause another escalation. while playing Time & Temp.
Synchronicity Epiphany Hidden Agent
A moment of inspiration or clarity that lights Sometimes only a local knows how to best
This is the sleight of hand that time travelers the way for the temps. This can be the result of deal with a situation. By making a serious of
use to play with causality and get what they the knowledge or experience that comes carefully orchestrated visits into the past of
want from the universe. And here's how it from being unstuck in time, or the sudden another character, the temps are able to set
works. understanding of a cryptic riddle the temps up a surprise allegiance.
will send eventually to themselves—an
When the temps have spent enough time and ominous e-mail from the future, or a long This introduces a helpful character who is
effort in a particular place and time, it's overdue package from the past that has just willing to act on the temps' behalf. This
reasonable to assume that they have the right information. person may be someone totally new, or a
gathered enough knowledge and character the temps have already
wherewithal to reliably plan to remember to Epiphanies allow the players to establish interacted with who has kept their
come back to this time and place to help facts about the world of the game. If an knowledge of the temps a secret until the
themselves out. Easy, right? Epiphany was spent on it, it's true, no moment of the big reveal.
matter what the GM had in mind. The only
But these things don't just happen because limit is that the Epiphany cannot When a Hidden Agent is created, the GM
you wish they would. You have to earn it. completely contradict something that has invents a promise that the future version of
already been firmly established. the temp made to this person in order to
The Synchronicity Token get them to help. Since the temp hasn't
The players earn Synchronicity Tokens by Deus ex Machina yet made the promise, the current version
completing Synchronic Sets in the Matrix. For of the temp may be in the dark about it.
every set they complete, they get one token. You can always have the right tools for the job
when all you have to do is remember to come The temp is under no obligation to keep
The tokens go in a common pool. Any player back and leave them where you found them. the promise, nor is the agent under any
may use one at any time. It does not matter obligation to be truthful about the
who completed the set that created the Deus ex Machina allows the players to promise. But the promise must come up in
token. immediately give their temps something the course of the game, and usually when
that the temps will inevitably remember to the agent is needed most.
Each token can only be used for one go back in time to set up.
Synchronicity. Once you use it, the token goes Thanks to the element of surprise and the
back to the GM. If more than one player This can be a tool, a weapon, or benefit of hindsight, the very first thing an
wishes to use the same token at the same something like a convenient trapdoor. agent does when they reveal themselves
time for different Synchronicities, and they Anything but another character (see succeeds without the need for a roll, as
cannot decide which of them gets to use it, Hidden Agent) or the temps themselves long as it is conceivably possible.
none of them can use it. The squabbling (see Bilocation).
between their temps in the present and the After that, the agent will likely do as they
future stymies their efforts. You have to learn The element of surprise and the benefit of are told according to the nature of their
to get along to make time travel work for you. hindsight combine to make the very first relationship with the temps, but they are
thing you attempt to do with this a success ultimately under the GM's control.
Synchronicities without the need for a roll.
There are 5 Synchroniticies available, each The Hidden Agent is a local for the sake of
with their own set of rules: Epiphany, Deus ex The temp must do what they can to make the Group Coordination bonus, and this
Machina, Hidden Agent, Bilocation, and it plausible that they would eventually bonus works on Paradox risks from
Zeitgeist. come back in time and help themselves. Bilocated temps and obvious Anomalies.
Bilocation Information & the Bilocated Temp Zeitgeist
The riskiest option available to a temp is to Information about what's yet to come can be Occasionally, a temp will feel and act so
come back in time to the moment of need a very dangerous thing. It's why Bilocated completely in the moment, so immersed in the
and give yourself a helping hand. But some temps always risk Paradox. But it's also a very time that they are visiting, that they will
things you just have to do literally by yourself. useful tool. While Bilocated, future temps do actually ease the burden of their presence on
not need to make rolls to be informed about the time stream. It is during these moments
With Bilocation, the future versions of the events that are about to happen. They can when temps can accidentally become the
temps immediately show up to help out. simply remember them. However, sharing this progenitors of historical events.
These are full-blown temps under the information is a perilous prospect.
control of the players of the original temps. This is when, either by using their knowledge of
When a future temp imparts knowledge of a the past or by accident, the temps make
A single Synchronicity token allows for one future event, the player must choose one of history. A Zeitgeist is when the temps drop an
or more of the temps on the current team the following options: apple on Isaac Newton's head. Or while in the
to bring back a single future version. For 80s they incidentally popularize the slang
any single temp to have more than one Unreliable Information—The temp may or word “rad.” Or, after saving Shakespeare's life,
future self present, another token must be may not be telling the truth. This may be a they turn to him and say, “To be or not to be,
spent per extra future temp. ploy to get the past temps to do what that is the question, right?” and he's hearing
they must do, but wouldn't if they knew the line for the first time.
While the future temps remain, the temps the truth. Or it may simply be the truth.
risk Paradox when rolling, even if there are There's no way of telling. And there are no Zeitgeist allows the players to select one
no Paradox Dice locked in. Also, the local requirements that must be met for this single occurrence of a number in the
bonus cannot remove it. option. Matrix and remove it. And then remove
one instance of it from the
Each future version of the temp must Prophetic Information—The player may Anachronometer.
exhibit some sign or indication that they spend a Synchronicity Token on an
have changed in some way since they Epiphany to make everything the future If that number is the same value as any
were the current version of the temp. temp reveals to be true without causing locked-in Paradox Die, those dice are now
Before the temp can use Bilocation again, undue harm to the timeline. unlocked. Remove any effects they might
all of these changes must come about. be causing.
Irresponsible Information—The temp's
Thanks to the element of surprise and the information is true and knowing it could This may de-escalate the Anomalies,
benefit of hindsight, the very first thing a possibly result in actions that contradict which will affect future Anomalies created
future temp does only requires minor effort future events. Every time the players with this Matrix, but does not affect any
and has one bonus. They know exactly choose this option, immediately roll the Anomalies that may already exist.
where to be and what to do, so they can Paradox Dice as if a number threatening
do it with casual confidence. Paradox had just been entered into the In order to do all this, the temps must give
Matrix. birth to an idea, trend, invention or cliché
Future temps may also bring along that is historically accurate for the time
specialized equipment and other they're in. They don't need to take credit
necessary items. As long as a future temp for it (and in many cases probably
is around, there is no need to spend a shouldn't), but they should be the driving
Deus ex Machina for equipment they force behind it. If the origin of the idea is
could be carrying. known, however the temps give birth to
this idea must conform with it.
Anomalies Ephemeral to Persistent Déjà Vu
Ephemeral Anomalies are momentary. The This is the only Anomaly that is ephemeral,
happen and then they're gone. They results benign and subtle. It is also always the first
As the temps mess around in time, the fabric
of what they did may be far reaching, but Anomaly. Even if there has already been
of the universe gets worn thin and strange
the source of Anomaly is no longer present. escalation, the first Anomaly that occurs in
things start to occur. These are the
each Matrix is always déjà vu.
Anomalies. Random events that can help,
Persistent Anomalies remain, and will
but usually hinder the temps in their quest for
continue to remain, doing what they do, until Déjà vu means that the temps will
an anachronism-free world.
the temps do something about them. If the experience some things as if they had
temps leave without clearing it up, they will already happened. Once this Anomaly
An Anomaly occurs whenever a number is
likely be sent back to deal with it. Often occurs, anytime a player has bonuses left
placed in the Matrix adjacent to a number
they'll be sent to a later date, after the over and they've already rolled, they can
of the same value. When this happens, the
Anomaly has wreaked a little havoc. spend these bonuses, one at a time, to re-roll
GM chooses an Anomaly from the list of
one of the dice. This represents the temp
available ones (or makes up one that fits the
parameters) and immediately adds it to the
Benign to Hostile experiencing the same moment over and
A benign Anomaly will not do any harm to a over, trying to get it exactly right.
story.
person, either physically or psychologically.
At worse, they can annoy or embarrass After this Anomaly is activated, the GM picks
Anomalies are measures on three axes:
someone. But no one is in any real danger. an axis to escalate.
ephemeral to persistent, benign to hostile,
and subtle to obvious. The first Anomaly is
always ephemeral, benign, and subtle. Hostile Anomalies are outright hazards and The Persistent, Benign & Subtle
Which means the first Anomaly is always Déjà can often be lethal. When a hostile anomaly Fountain of Youth—Somewhere in the vicinity
Vu. first appears, every temp in the area springs up a fluid that can slow down the
immediately gets an Incident Report, and aging process, but not drastically halt it.
After the first Anomaly, the GM picks one of most likely knocked around a bit.
the axes to escalate, and checks it off on the Fortunate One—A character involved who is
Matrix Sheet. From that point forward, all Subtle to Obvious not a temp becomes quite lucky for the rest
Anomalies in this Matrix will be persistent, This axis refers to how evident it is that the of his or her life.
hostile, or obvious. Anomaly is not natural, not something that
would have otherwise happened. Subtle Erased from History—Everyone the temps
Anomalies get escalated again after every Anomalies are the sorts of things folks dismiss have encountered so far in this Matrix has
two new ones and after the 2nd and 3rd as perhaps unusual, but nothing suspicious. A suddenly forgotten who they are and don't
Paradox Dice are locked in. Once all three subtle Anomaly would not threaten remember ever meeting them.
axes have been escalated you can ignore someone's understanding of how the
any further instructions to escalate. universe works.
Each category has its own set of rules that all Obvious Anomalies simply don't make sense
Anomalies in that category follow. to most. They can appear to be magic to
the superstitious, or some sort of super
The list of Anomalies is not exhaustive, and science, but in the end, they are clearly
you are encouraged to make up your own unnatural. Anything involving an obvious
and add them to each of the categories. Anomaly automatically risks Paradox even if
Many of these can also be adapted to other there are no Paradox Dice locked in. And
categories with minor changes. the local bonus has no effect on it.
The Ephemeral, Hostile & Subtle The Persistent, Hostile & Subtle The Ephemeral, Hostile & Obvious
Toxic Atmosphere—Air from long into Earth's Illness Out of Time—An ancient or futuristic Critter from Out of Time—Something alien to
prehistoric past, or post-apocalyptic future, communicable disease is transported to the this time period is sucked out of the past or
or late 80s Los Angeles swiftly escapes temps current location in time and space. future and placed where it can do the most
through a rift and surrounds the temps. Even their immunizations aren't ready for it. harm.
Flashback to an Unknown Mind—Everyone Time Madness—Everyone hates everyone, Into the Void—A rift in time leading to where
present suddenly has a memory of a horrible and it's infectious. The only memories people the Earth was yesterday opens up for a
event that didn't happened to them, can recall about their relationships with each moment, sucking everything it can into the
causing some post-traumatic stress. other are bad ones. vacuum of space.
Spontaneous Combustion—A fire is pulled Vanished—Everyone the temps are dealing Time Invaders—Everyone the temps had
through time and breaks out in the present with suddenly disappear into another time. contact with have a sudden flash to the
with no known source. future revealing who the temps really are.
The Ephemeral, Benign & Obvious The Persistent, Benign & Obvious The Persistent, Hostile & Obvious
Slow Motion—Everyone over a wide area Anachronistic Visitations—People from Temporal Eruption—A permanent rift in time
suddenly experiences the next few minutes another time are constantly showing up in starts spilling forth all sorts of bad news.
in slow motion. the current time.
Time Vortex—A whirlwind of temporal energy
Missing Time—The temps suddenly find Time Loop—The point in space where the persists and drags anyone who gets near it
themselves elsewhere much later in the day, temps currently are keeps repeating the into another time.
and no one remembers what happened. same events over and over.
Body Swap—A group of folks have their
Premonitions—Everyone involved remembers Anti-Physics—In the surrounding area, the consciousnesses permanently traded.
a moment that hasn't happened yet. laws of reality have gone haywire. Rocks
become neutrally buoyant in the air, water Accelerated Aging—One or more people
flows up, and so forth. begin to age at the rate of a year per hour.
One Step Ahead One Step Behind
How Bonuses Work How Penalties Work
Bonuses are the temps' way to get a leg up on the Penalties are what brings the temps down. Just like
competition. They come from a lot of sources, but bonuses, you count them up whenever there's a
they're essentially advantages that the temp can situation that requires a roll. The GM then spends
exploit to make the situations involving a roll more them to counter the temp's efforts and to generally
favorable. make things more difficult.
In a situation where you should roll, you determine Much like bonuses, penalties are spent during a roll
how many bonuses you have. You can spend these for disadvantages to be applied to the situation.
bonuses on a one-for-one basis to get the
advantages detailed below. But once you've There are 2 ways for penalties to be spent:
plugged a number into the Matrix, you're done with
your bonuses until the next time you need to roll. Counteraction
Bonuses spent on one roll do not disappear, and can The GM can eliminate the temp's bonuses by
be spent on a future roll. spending penalties on a one-for-one basis. This can
be done before any decisions are made, or to block
There are 3 ways to use a bonus: a bonus just as the player is about to use it.
Risk Avoidance Mitigating Circumstances

The GM can spend one penalty to shift the Effort or
You can spend one bonus each to prevent your
Effect, whichever one the player set, one level. This
temp from risking Failure or Incident. You cannot
changes both the die size and the description of
prevent the risk of Paradox unless you have a bonus
what is happening in the fiction.
that comes from a local helping you.
Mitigating Circumstances Sources of Bonuses & Penalties
You can spend one bonus to shift the Effort or Effect,
Almost all the sources of bonuses and penalties are
whichever one the GM set, one level. This changes
listed on this card, and each one of them comes with
both the die size and the description of what is
their own set of parameters. They are: the temp's
happening in the fiction.
C.V., Incident Reports, Progress Reports, Cooperation,
Déjà Vu the Local Bonus, Situational Advantage, the TPS
If the Déjà Vu Anomaly is in play, you can spend your Report and the Temporal Villainy Index Penalty.
bonuses, one at a time, to re-roll one of the dice you
rolled. Each time you re-roll, you must use the next The only bonus not listed on this card is the one
smaller size, except d4s which are re-rolled as d4s. Bilocated temps get on their first action.
The Keeley-Sullivan Temporal Villainy Index
The Local Bonus
Threats rated on the TVI give the GM a number of
Getting the locals to work for you has a couple of penalties equal to their Menace Rating. These are
advantages. It can turn a roll based on a skill set you only used when the temps directly interfere with the
don't have into a roll based on your natural menace. Any time the GM needs to use all of these
persuasiveness. You can get the cooperation bonus. penalties on a single roll, the threat's menace rating is
And, if one or more locals is doing your dirty work for reduced by one for the rest of the adventure. This
you, you can spend the bonus they give you from affects both the amount of penalties available for
cooperation on avoiding the risk to Paradox. future rolls and how often they cause a Paradox roll.
The Leading Edge Die Situational Advantage
When you're farther into the future than you have
If the player sets the effort and they describe
ever been, you have the Leading Edge Die. Any time
something in the environment that gives them an
you roll, roll an extra die of the same size. Then, before
advantage, such as an overturned table to hide
deciding which result to put in the Matrix, you may
behind in a sword fight or Barry White on the stereo
eliminate any one die you just rolled. Once you risk
during a seduction, they may claim one bonus from
Paradox, you can no longer have the Leading Edge.
situational advantage.
After you've rolled the dice and spent your bonuses, if If they don't claim it, the GM may describe
you still don't like the results, you can simply choose a something in the environment that hinders or works
number to enter into the Matrix and succeed. Then against the temp and claim one penalty.
roll a d12. If you rolled that number or higher, your
temp has been critically injured in a manner of the If the temp failed, and the player wishes to retry, the
GM's choosing. If you rolled less, your temp perished in advantage goes to whoever did not claim it the first
the line of duty in a manner of your choosing. time, but you still have to describe how you got it.
Curriculum Vitae Incident Reports
The Power of the Résumé Speed Bumps on the Road to Success
Each player should write a C.V. for their temp. The As the temps incur Incident, the GM needs to fill out
styles of the various C.V.s can differ, but the basic Incident Reports. There are two types of Incident
structure should include three jobs (or achievements Reports: verbal and written. Verbal reports are
or recreational activities), each with two bullet points temporary, and go away after they are used for a
worth of related skills underneath. penalty. Written reports are a little more durable.
Job, Achievement, Academic History or Hobby When an Incident occurs, the GM writes down the
●
Related Skill or Trait nature of the Incident on a report. If more than one
●
Related Skill or Trait temp already has an Incident Report, this report will
be a written one. Otherwise, it must be a verbal one.
During the game, the temps can get bonuses from
their C.V. if the jobs or skills listed are applicable to If it is a written report, the GM also writes down what
what they are trying to do. They get one bonus if corrective actions must be taken to remove it.
anything on their C.V. is applicable. They can get two
bonuses if skills from two separate jobs are If it makes sense that a particular Incident would
applicable. make whatever the temp is trying to do more difficult,
then the GM may get a penalty from it. No more than
No more than two bonuses can be drawn from a two Incident Reports can grant penalties for the
single C.V. same roll.
Cooperation Progress Reports
If two or more temps work together, they can get an After each adventure in time, the temps return to the
extra bonus if the lead temp has some sort of office and have a debriefing with their manager.
leadership skills on their C.V., or both the lead temp During each debriefing you will get feedback from
and a helping temp have jobs on their C.V. that your fellow temps and your manager about how well
might apply to the situation. you've been doing and where you need
improvement. You'll have your own say, too. In your
If an Incident occurs while temps are cooperating, all defense and as feedback for the other temps.
cooperating temps take incidents.
This feedback will address two specific areas: Valued
Temps with leadership skills, or just particularly Contributions and Improvement Opportunities. For
persuasive temps, can also claim this bonus if they each debriefing, select two things that were said
manage to convince skilled locals to do their dirty about your Valued Contributions and two things that
work for them. were said about your Improvement Opportunities
and record them in your Progress Report.
Bickering
If the temps are fighting each other and one is rolling, Valued Contributions—During a mission, if one of your
they can add the Bickering Die to the roll. It's another Valued Contributions is relevant to a roll, you can
die, the same size as the rest. Before the number for claim one bonus. You may only claim one bonus per
the Matrix is chosen, any single temp involved in the roll this way.
roll or fight can take an additional Incident Report (as
the result of the infighting) and then eliminate the If, after all is said and done, you succeed at the roll,
lowest die, leaving better options on the table. without Incident, put a check mark in the box next to
the Contribution to indicate that you've
Temporal Project Specification Report demonstrated consistent work. You cannot claim a
Players are encouraged to file TPS Reports with the bonus for this Contribution again.
GM. These are reports on a time period, culture,
event, historical person, or anything else the player is Improvement Opportunity—If one of your
interested in their temp encountering. The reports are Improvement Opportunities is relevant to a roll, you
nothing more than a title and three facts about the can give the GM a penalty to use against you.
subject. They let the GM know what the players are
interested in and help them plan future adventures. If you succeed at this roll, with or without Incident,
you can put a check mark in the box next to the
If your temp filed a TPS Report pertinent to the Opportunity to indicate that you've shown
adventure at hand, then you may treat each fact on improvement.
the sheet as if it were a bullet point on your C.V.
Quarterly Review—After you've started a new
In addition, TPS Report bonuses work just like the Local Progress Report, you can chat with the GM to figure
Bonus when it comes to avoiding the risk of Paradox. out something new to add to your C.V. based on the
Contributions and Opportunities you checked off.
Incident Report (Written) (Verbal) Incident Report (Written) (Verbal) Incident Report (Written) (Verbal)
Date: Time: Date: Time: Date: Time:

Incident Incident Incident
Description: Description: Description:
Corrective Corrective Corrective

Action: Action: Action:
Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834 Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834 Rev. 10.01.17-PL-1834







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Time & Temp

Paperless Office Edition

A game of time travel and underemployment

Dedicated to Kathleen & Richard Dannemiller,

Playstormed & playtested by:

And special thanks to Emily Care Boss,

1,000 Epidiah Ravachol

Dig a Thousand Holes Publishing

What Do You Need to Play

• At least four complete sets of polyhedral dice

What is the Paperless Office Edition

C.V.—Curriculum vitae, the temps' résumés.

The Employee Handbook

The following 13 pages constitute the Browne Chronometric Engineering,

The Rules Primer

Following the Employee Handbook, are 22 pages of rules discussion. Read

The General Management Policy

The Printable Material

And now on to the Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc.,

Warning: This document contains

I, __________________________________, affirm that I have read, dated, and

On the Job Training & Preparation 3

Overriding Theory of the Fragile Immutability of Time 6

Employee Responsibilities and Regulations 9

Working to Make Anachronism a Thing of the Past!

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 1 of 12

Susan Ford, Director of Human Resources

Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., officially adopts the following mission

To police and protect the historical integrity of the temporal order

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 2 of 12

On the Job Training & Preparation

Cultural Transcendency Course

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 3 of 12

Basal Linguistics Techniques

Likewise, identifying these components in the speech patterns and mannerisms

All Browne Chronometric Engineering employees must complete a three-hour

Whispering or other furtive communications can be difficult as

Shouting over long distances, in the dark, through fog, or while

If your audience is distracted—such as by other conversations,

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 4 of 12

Radios, CBs, phonographs, two tin cans on either sides of a taut

Any telephone manufactured before 2017 is ill-equipped to

Finally, these techniques usually won’t work when speaking with

Employee Immunization Program

This does not constitute a guarantee on the part of Browne Chronometric

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 5 of 12

The Overriding Theory

This is how time travel works.

And this is why we here at Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., firmly

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 6 of 12

Unfortunately, history can be changed unwittingly as well. If you were to travel

Both of these examples are broad simplifications of a great many complex

The resulting combined chance of paradox is known as the Yossarian Horizon.

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 7 of 12

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 8 of 12

Employee Responsibilities and Regulations

 Employees of Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., and

 Employees must preserve the mystery of the future.

 Employees should respect the personal property and

In order to preserve a more harmonious work environment, employees are asked

 Employees may not allow knowledge of the future to

As tempting as it might be to avoid particularly embarrassing or stressful

Date Read: _____/_____/_____ Employee’s Initials:________ Page 9 of 12

 Employees may not use their knowledge of the future for

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 1 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 2 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 3 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 4 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 5 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 6 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 7 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 8 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 9 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 11 of 12

Date Read: ___/_/_ Employee’s Initials:______ Page 12 of 12