The Rules

Welcome, Dreamer

1How To Play

The Journey

Begin your journey at the tower: Under the prying eye of the moon, you awaken at the top of a tall tower. Trapped between walls of books, your only reprieve is the lonely table in the center of the room. Coolly lit by moonlight, several spheres lay upon the table. They beckon to you. As you grasp each orb, something strange stirs within them: objects from somewhere you can't remember. When one of them strikes a chord wihin your very soul, the glass orb shatters peacefully, and the object finds you sheepishly. The lights snuff out, and you find yourself weary, weak. As you collapse, your vision snaps to the gaping window, as the moon itself barrels toward the tower. Certain doom, if only you could keep your eyes open...

You awake once more. Ah, this place. You remember this place. The world comes into focus, and it all comes rushing back to you...
The realm within:

• Friends: Meet potential allies who may aid you on your journey.
• Villains: Encounter adversaries who challenge your resolve.
• The Day: Explore the realm's bright, inspiring world.
• The Night: Survive the depths of shadow and mystery
• The World: Uncover the history and lore of the realm.
• The Rules: This very page! Your guide to understanding the myriad of goings-on.

Navigation

We progress through the world using horizontal cards known as both map and world cards. They are divided into three major categories: Adventure, Bravery, and Challenge. At times certain cards must be played, and at other times one of the three categories may be played freely. Once a card has been revealed, it must be resolved by the players. "Resolving" in this case refers to concluding the effects of the card, either by choosing one of several choices presented by the card or satsifying all the requirements. When in doubt, defer to the narrator for how the card should be resolved. In addition to revealing a map card, players may also freely act. "Acting" can refer to roleplay, interacting with their friends, or reacting to the current world setting. Players may reveal or act in any order, but each can only be done once per turn. Meaning players may act and then reveal a map card, or reveal a map card then act. Reminder that once a map card has been revealed, it must be concluded immediately, barring players from acting until the map card is finished or "resolved".

• Card Selection: Choose from three options: Adventure, Bravery, Challenge - pick wisely!
• Player's Turn: You may ACT and REVEAL once per turn, in any order.
• ACT: You may ACT in a free and unrestricted way, as agreed upon with your friends and the narrator. This can enable special actions or other events to occur, preparations to take place, or fun ludonarrative moments.
• REVEAL: You must choose one map card, show it to all players and explain the effects. Then, decide how to resolve the card.
• Turn Order: After one player has finished their turn, the player to their left begins their turn. We proceed in a clockwise manner.
• Reading & Orating: Reading aloud is highly encouraged. While the narrator is encouraged to do so, the current player may volunteer their services instead.

2Mechanisms Of Play

The Basics

• Players begin by either using a generic player-stat table online or a physical custom sheet.
• After the player has finalized their character, they may choose a souldbound artefact. This is done by laying the soulbound cards face-down. A player must flip one card face-up and choose to take that card or pass. If they pass, the next player must flip another card and then choose to take one of the revealed cards or pass to the next player. If a player chooses a soulbound card, they not longer take turns flipping cards. When one player remains without an item, they flip one last time and then must choose among the face-up cards.
• Next, players will engage in picking an iris colour using a similar manner. Place all Iris cards face-down. Then, one player flips three cards and must choose one to keep and one to discard. The next player also flips three cards, keeps only one then discards one iris card. Players cannot pass nor skip their turn to pick an Iris.
• Lastly, prior to beginning play, there may be effects or other actions to resolve, so please check your cards carefully and confirm with the narrator if you have any questions. Note: the narrator has access to some information hidden to each player and may ask players to do things prior to beginning.

Exploration Elements

• The Loop: The play area should be set up with twelve clearly marked zones similar to a clock-face. This is known as the day. Map cards will be placed in these zones during a player's turn. The zone representing 12 o'clock is to be clearly indicated as being "dawn". With the zone at 1 o'clock being referred to as "morning" and the zone corresponding to 11 o'clock being "dusk". Dawn is not a player space, and thus no player takes their turn at dawn. Instead, a number of actions take place for all players, as conducted by the narrator. Thus, in a given day, there are 11 zones to play map cards.
• Note: "Adventure" cards cannot be played at dusk...
• Map Cards
• Adventure: These cards are very low-risk, low-reward.
• Bravery Cards: These cards have a better risk-reward balance.
• Challenge Cards: These cards have more unique risks and rewards.

3Story Elements

Friends & Allies

The characters you meet as friends ("NPCs") represent potential companions for your journey. When encountering a card-based NPC, the current player may interact with them or attempt to have them join the group. When engaging with the NPC, they use dice as labeled on their card. The player will use dice according to whatever the narrator decides. Each has:

• Unique personalities and motivations.
• Individual fears and desires.
• Special skills.
• Main quests they hope to accomplish.
• Relationship interactions.
• Note: the dice-symbol found on each NPC directly shows their recruitment difficulty, as well as the dice you receive should they join you.

Interactions

Emphasis is placed on players experiencing the world.

• You are encouraged make your own discoveries.
• Note: the narrator may have a lorebook with information hidden from the players.

Villains & Challenges

While the players pose a unique upset to the world, they may find greater stories and threats along their journey.

• Typically you must complete the story of one villain to move on to another.
• All have unique interactions with certain NPCs.
• Even antagonists harbor secrets and hidden depths...

Day & Night

The cyclical nature of day and night:

• Day: 11 zones.
• Night: 6 zones.
• Cycle and seasons add different possibilities...

4Death

Dying

• When any character dies, they lose all their cards, money, and other things.
• When any character dies, the narrator may state more of that player's soul has become trapped in the realm.
• When any character dies, the narrator may announce that all players must attempt to resist madness, terror, or any other affliction.
• The player's corpse soon turns to souldust. Easily blown away by the wind.
• The player's death must be recorded in some way.

Returning

A player experiences a plane of existence entirely comprised of iridescent rainbow bricks laid out before them stretching infinitely into the horizon. Skating across the bricks builds momentum until the blue sky and clouds above become a blended blur. Upon reaching a specific brick with the reflection of the scene of their own demise, the player shatters the brick and descends once again into the world.

• Prior to reviving, players may envision the strange tower and exchange their soulbound artefact.
• Upon revival, players should increase their level based on their amount of soul coalesced into the world.
• Instead of a basic card, a player may pick from one of three cards as chosen by the narrator.
• If the other players are in-combat, the player must roll a D20 to revive: starting at 20, the player must roll a smaller and smaller number to revive; before they roll each time, subtract 1 from the revival counter.
  example

  (example: the counter starts at 20, player rolls an 11, the counter is now 11; on their next turn the counter gets -1 so it is at 10, they roll and get an 18 so the counter remains at 10; on their next turn the counter gets -1 so it is at 9, they roll and get a 1 so on their next turn it will be 0 and they revive)

5Your Journey

Creation

• Your choices shape your understanding of the realm.
• Your relationships are as meaningful as you want them to be.
• Share your discoveries with other players!

Exploration Tips

• Take time to read all text - each character and lore piece contains meaningful information.
• Challenge yourself, you never know who you will run into next!
• Consider how different characters' stories might connect.
• It is okay to die!