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MONAD ECHO SRD V1.0 Game design and texts: Alberto Tronchi Creative Director: Tommaso De Benetti Layout: Tommaso De Benetti Illustrations: Daniel Comerci, Tommaso Lucchetti, Luca Bonazzoli Translations: Tommaso De Benetti, Yoann Stordeur Editing: Sean Newton, Tommaso De Benetti Acknowledgements: Fabrizio “l’inutile feedback” Infusino / Giorgio Catenacci / Valerio Votadoro / Emanuele Bonin “quello che vorrebbe giocare subito a Death Blood + Yokai” / Alessandro “Neverend45” Rocchi / Davide Febbraro / Yoann Stordeur / Matteo “Codex” Joliveau / Ciro Lamberti. Copyright © Alberto Tronchi, 2023 Monad Echo is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The work, including all its parts, is protected by copyright law. Unless expressly authorized, reproductions are forbidden in any way or form, including photocopying, scanning, and electronic storage. Any violation will be prosecuted to the full extent of the copyright law. Monad Echo SRD is a publication of The World Anvil Publishing. See page 4 for the conditions of use. Web: theworldanvil.com Discord: bit.ly/discord-twa Facebook: facebook.com/theworldanvil Twitter: twitter.com/theworldanvil

INDEX INTRODUCTION 5 What this system is intended for 6 What this system is not suitable for 6 Glossary of Gaming Terminologies 7 ESTABLISHING THE GAME'S CHARACTERISTICS 10 Transforming Keywords into rules 13 Basic Rules 13 Additional Rules 14 Special Rules 14 DESIGN PRINCIPLES 18 Managing the narrative 19 Narration-management game tools 21 MONAD ECHO RULES 23 SCALING THE GAME TIME 24 Scene 24 Exchange 24 Session 25 Interlude 25 POSITION AND DEFENSE CHECKS 28 Resolving a Check 29 DO NOT HIDE THE THREATS' AND NPCS' DESCRIPTOR 32 TYPES OF OUTCOME 33 SUCCESSES, FAILURES, AND WOUNDS 34 RESUMING THE NARRATIVE 35 CHARACTER VS. CHARACTER 36 COSTS AND INCREMENTS 36 Costs 37 Increments 37 ADVANTAGE AND DRAWBACK 39 MANAGING INFORMATION 45 CHARACTERS AND GAME WORLD 47 DESCRIPTORS 48 GIFTS 51 Archetypal Effects 53 Archetypal Costs 66 SOMA 73 Calculate the Character's Soma Pool 73 WOUNDS 74 EQUIPMENT 76

Weapons and armor 77 Wealth and possessions 78 THREATS 80 NPCs 82 Main NPCs 83 Minor NPCs 83 Agenda 86 NPC Archetypes 86 BONDS 90 Create New Bonds 92 EXPERIENCE 93 As a reward 94 Earn XP 94 Spending XP 94 Increase the value of an Attribute by 1 94 Evolve a Descriptor into a Specialization 96 Evolve a Specialization into a Mastery 96 Obtain 1 Additional Wound 97 Obtain a Follower 97 Improving a Gift 97 Increase Status 97 Experience Tokens 98 Narrative experience 98 CREATING YOUR OWN GAME 101 THE STANDARD OF 5 102 ATTRIBUTES 102 Body 102 Reaction 103 Presence 103 Mind 104 Anomaly 104 Attribute Base Values 105 Playing without Attributes 106 BACKGROUND STEPS 107 TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR OWN GAME 109

MONAD ECHO SRD - THIRD PARTY LICENSE The text of this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit: https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/ REQUIREMENTS: Ɂ You may not use images, graphics (including those featured in the SRD), and text from our published games unless you have our explicit permission. The text of this SRD is free to use. Ɂ Your product may not use the logo of The World Anvil Publishing, Black Box Games, the name of Alberto Tronchi, or the names of other members of our teams without our express permission. Ɂ The Monad Echo logo must be included on the credits page and, if possible, on the back of each publication. Get it here: https://bit.ly/monadechologo. Ɂ You cannot give the impression that yours is an official The World Anvil Publishing's product, unless you have our explicit permission. Ɂ The World Anvil Publishing assumes no legal responsibility in relation to your product. If there is a legal dispute about this License, it will be settled in Italy according to Italian law. Ɂ You must include the following text somewhere in the publication, clearly visible: “[Name of your product] is an independent production of [Author or Publisher] not affiliated in any way with The World Anvil Publishing S.r.l.s. It is published through the Monad Echo SRD - Third Party License.” Ɂ You must include this copyright note somewhere in the publication, clearly visible: "Monad Echo SRD is a copyright of Alberto Tronchi and The World Anvil Publishing S.r.l.s.". The SRD can be freely downloaded from the URL https://bit.ly/monadechosrd-eng”.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION Monad Echo is the role-playing system used by games such as Broken Tales, Dead Air: Seasons, Valraven: Le Cronache del Sangue e del Ferro (“The Chronicles of Blood and Iron,” untranslated), and Evolution Pulse Rebirth, all published by The World Anvil Publishing and available for purchase at https://theworldanvil.com. Its goal is to enhance well-structured settings and highlight the Characters' narrative features without relying on excessive crunchiness. It is a system that strives for continuous narration, interspersed with "Checks" (which can include dice rolls) to determine the success of the Characters' actions. The principle behind Position and Defense Checks allows the players to enjoy the narrative, with the mechanics interrupting play only when it is strictly necessary. What this system is intended for With Monad Echo, you can create stories featuring gifted protagonists who will grapple with many challenges in pursuit of their goals. The power progression of the characters is horizontal rather than vertical: the Characters are already skilled at the time of their creation and increase their ability to influence the game world with the passage of each adventure. Although the power level of the Characters can be adjusted to make the game more challenging, the outcome of a Check is always under the control of the Players. They can tip the scales in their favor by spending Soma points when they believe success is critical. What this system is not suitable for This system does not lend itself well to simulative gameplay. It does not allow us to recreate the physics of a fictional world with its many variables. Instead, it reproduces the physics of a story, with rules that allow Characters to change the course of the narrative. Monad Echo is also not suitable for those looking for great customization of powers and equipment since the "mechanical" aspect of Characters is almost exclusively concentrated on Gifts. 6 Introduction

Glossary of Gaming Terminologies Here is a short list of technical terms used in Monad Echo. Additional Successes: Obtained through Gifts, Soma, or dice rolling, these Successes are added to the Base Successes. Advantage: Value, derived from Gifts, to be added to the Base Successes. Agenda: Description of the purpose and objectives of an NPC. Base Successes: The number of Successes a Character starts with when facing a Position or Defense Check. Defense Check: The game mechanic with which a Character reacts to the actions of an NPC or a Threat managed by the Narrator. Descriptor: A short phrase that describes a salient feature of a Character, an NPC, or an aspect of the game world. Drawback: Value, derived from Gifts, to be subtracted from the Base Successes. Exchange: A short unit of time that marks the action of each participant in a conflict situation. Experience Points: Abbreviated as XP, the point value indicates the experience gained by a Character during their adventures. Failure: When a Character's action has not been successful as a result of a Position or Defense Check. Gift: A special ability of a Character, an NPC, or a Threat that activates particular effects in the game. Introduction 7

Interlude: A specific moment during a Session in which the Characters take a break, spend XP, and recover Soma and Wounds. Keywords: Single words or short, themed phrases that help players focus on some narrative details, stimulate the imagination through idea association, and assist the game table in developing interesting ideas during the game. NPC: Acronym for Non-Player Character; in general, every character and creature managed by the Narrator. The NPCs are divided into two types: Main and Minor. Opposition Level: Abbreviated to OL, it is the difficulty value associated with an NPC or Threat. Player: Each participant in a game Session. One Player must assume the role of the Narrator. All other participants will play a Character. (Positive) Outcome of an action: When a Position or Defense Check has been passed in one of three ways: with a Cost, Standard, or with an Increment. Position Check: The game mechanic with which a Character tries to succeed at an action described in the narrative. Scene: A Session is divided into several Scenes. Scenes have no set time length but continue until they reach a natural end and Players wish to move on. Session: The time set aside for play, which usually spans a single evening or afternoon. Soma: The value that quantifies the inner strength and reserves of willpower a Character can draw upon. Spending Soma can guarantee automatic Successes during Checks or activate some Gifts. 8 Introduction

Threat: Indicates, in a generic way, an obstacle or a complex situation. Each Threat possesses a Descriptor and an Opposition Level which indicates the challenge they could pose to a Character. Wounds: Represent the ability of a Character or NPC to resist any source of adversity, both physical and mental. Introduction 9

ESTABLISHING THE GAME'S CHARACTERISTICS

Before starting to explain the rules, it is important to establish some guidelines with the other Players for the game that you intend to create at the table, its aesthetics, and the main elements that will be featured in the Sessions. Monad Echo was born as a system of rules designed to manage a narrative shared among all the participants of a Session. For this reason, the first step in design must necessarily focus on what we are going to play, what will be seen in the narrative described by the Players, and how the protagonists face the adversities of the setting. THE WHAT, BEFORE THE HOW You may be wondering: Can I design a game that uses this SRD without reading first the Basic Rules of Monad Echo? The answer is yes. When designing a tabletop RPG, it’s crucial to start with three questions: Ɂ What do you want to happen during a Session? Ɂ What kind of stories do you want to tell and experience? Ɂ How do you achieve those goals? As a result, rather than starting with the rules, you should start by determining what you want to happen in the narrative when the Players come together at the table. When you start with the rules, you may have specific ideas regarding how those rules should be applied in the game. However, your story will be better and more fun to tell if you focus instead on the setting and mood of the story. Once you know that, the rules can be adapted to reinforce the tone you’re trying to create in the narrative. As a first step, draw up a list of Keywords. Remember, for your purpose, these can also be short sentences. Keywords are a useful tool for focusing on the mood and themes of the narrative, and they can be helpful to keep in mind when adapting rules. Establishing the Game's Characteristics 11

Example – Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron In this game, Players tell the story of mercenary companies fighting a great war for control of the continent Valraven. Some Keywords for this setting are: Ɂ Strong inspiration from Kentaro Miura's manga, Berserk. This is reflected in the gloomy atmosphere of violence and despair. Ɂ The Characters are all members of a mercenary company. Ɂ Field battles and missions on behalf of one of the factions on the field. Ɂ Animistic magic that includes demonic entities which yearn for the souls of ordinary mortals. Ɂ Different factions on the ground in the fight for supremacy. Ɂ Low fantasy, but with the genuine threat of monsters and supernatural events. There is no reason to limit your list of Keywords. On the contrary, the more you have, the easier it will be to stay focused on what you are trying to achieve with your game. SOURCES OF INSPIRATION Don’t be shy about drawing inspiration from other works of fiction. In fact, it’s safe to say that many successful games were created so someone could play in their favorite fictional world. Understanding the sources that inspired a setting can help when building a list of Keywords. Using Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron as an example, the game was born to "relive the stories of Berserk." That decision influenced 90% of the Keywords chosen to inspire and provide guidance. Having a work of fiction to reference also allows you to focus on what is really important for the setting and rules, rather than spending time creating material that may not add to the stories you want to tell. 12 Establishing the Game's Characteristics

Transforming Keywords into rules You have established what you want to achieve in the game and what you want to see in the shared narrative at the table. Now, it’s helpful to list mechanics that may get you closer to your goals. Again, the best first step is describing what you want to see during a Session. Monad Echo, with its Basic Rules, covers everything that we could group under the fundamental physics of a story. In other words, the basics provide everything you need to make determinations about the narrative when the outcome is uncertain. They provide a mechanical skeleton that can help organize the chaotic events that unfold during Scenes. Any rule can be “tuned” to bring focus to different aspects of the setting and story. Additional Rules are intended to help manage common story elements that you may encounter during a Session. However, their importance can vary depending on the story element’s role in your narrative. Some stories contain unusual or even unique elements that aren’t directly covered by either the Basic Rules or Additional Rules. In that case, you can create a Special Rule that will help you manage story elements crucial to the narrative of your game. Basic Rules The Basic Rules are required for a successful game of Monad Echo. They guide the narrative at the table and allow Players to influence the story. Entirely removing one of these rules would mean changing Monad Echo to a new game system. However, the Basic Rules can be modified or tuned for specific purposes. Establishing the Game's Characteristics 13

Example: Monad Echo can’t function properly without Position and Defense Checks, so you can’t remove those rules. However, you can tune how modifiers are calculated during Checks to alter the specifics of what those Checks represent. Valraven uses a system of Attributes to calculate success or failure, which gauges a character’s inclination toward solving a problem in different ways. Broken Tales doesn’t use the Attribute system. Instead, during Checks, the Descriptors of the Characters are used as the basis for judging success or failure. As a result, the game flows more easily and with a greater sense of urgency. The Basic Rules are: Position and Defense Check / Wounds / Soma / Descriptors / Gifts / Information Management / Threats and NPCs / Marking the game time (Scenes, Interludes, Exchanges). Additional Rules You’ll find the Additional Rules and everything you need to use them in this book. Almost every game will use some of the Additional Rules in some way, though you may need to adjust them to better fit the story. However, depending on your narrative goals, they may be more useful in some games than others. The Additional Rules are: Bonds / Equipment / Experience / Advantage and Drawback / Background Steps. Special Rules You won’t find any Special Rules included in this book beyond a few examples because, by definition, they are specific to a setting. As a result, you’ll need to develop any Special Rules you need for yourself. In general, you’ll need a Special Rule for situations that aren’t covered by Basic or Additional Rules but which are crucial to the story you want to tell. 14 Establishing the Game's Characteristics

It’s a good idea to be stingy with Special Rules and use them only when the outcome of actions may be uncertain. A Special Rule will frequently draw from concepts outlined in Basic or Additional Rules or draw connections between rules. They can also cast the events of the narrative in a new light. Example: Valraven uses a Special Rule called Road to Perdition. It was developed to emphasize the Characters' resistance to a harsh and violent world and its attempts to crush their souls through seemingly endless war. The Road to Perdition represents the conflict between the Characters’ strength of will, the temptation to fall into darkness, and the determination to succeed. As a Special Rule, it involves a few concepts from Basic and Additional Rules: Wounds, Descriptors, XP, Soma, and Gifts. This rule is crucial to playing Valraven because Characters must face the Road to Perdition to survive and advance in the world of the game. It grants Increases to Characters, which is the only way to spend XP and grow in power. It allows them to recover and improve their Gifts. It also allows Characters to overcome pain by ignoring a Wound and transforming it into a negative Descriptor. As always, the rule grew from the desire to see specific themes in the narrative. In the case of the Road to Perdition, it allows Characters to live out the same sort of story as Guts, the protagonist of the manga Berserk, by forcing Characters to turn to their darker natures to succeed. The rule began as a way for a Character to resist pain (avoid a Wound) by drawing on their barbarous natures. In return, the Character received a Descriptor that affected their choices during the Session. Establishing the Game's Characteristics 15

THE AESTHETICS OF THE TABLE Monad Echo is intended as a system to manage the dynamics of a story. As a result, rules should be applied to fit what is being described at the table. Every group has its own dynamic, and there is no right or wrong way to tell your story. However, there are several crucial elements to keep in mind when creating a new game, as they will drastically change how the narrative plays out. Descriptors and Gifts: As we'll see in a moment, Descriptors and Gifts will determine how and how effectively a Character interacts with the story. Versatile and powerful Descriptors and Gifts will make Characters more formidable and give the story an epic feel. On the other hand, limited and grounded Descriptors and Gifts create a more realistic and gritty tone. It’s particularly important to pay attention to the specifics of Descriptors and Gifts during Character Creation. Background and setting: The stories and information included in the lore of the game are a great way to understand the tone of the game and convey it to the table. A game that focuses on a community of apocalypse survivors will not have the same tone as one that tells the story of young superheroes fighting alien conspiracies between classes. Setting and background information should reflect that difference. Applicable rules: The rules we pick will directly impact the choices Players make, so they should encourage Players to make choices that fit with the tone you’re trying to create. For example, drastically reducing the number of Wounds a Character can withstand will push Players into a conservative game style. They’ll have to weigh every action or quickly succumb to the dangers they face. It is important to understand that if a rule exists, Players will use it and it will affect their decisions. A change to the rules will have a direct effect on the tone and mood of the table. If certain actions are nearly impossible, it’s natural for Players to look for other solutions rather than try a Check with long odds. The golden rule to keep in mind is: Everything you add helps to shape the mood and tone of the game, as well as the Players’ experience. Descriptors, Gifts, and the setting help Players understand the mood you’re trying to evoke. The mood and tone at the gaming table will in turn affect the decisions that get made during a narrative. In particular, they’ll affect decisions regarding Position and Defense Checks, which are the basic tools for guiding the narration. It will be easier for Players to understand a game that clearly defines the tone it is seeking to evoke, both in terms of rules and narrative. 16 Establishing the Game's Characteristics

To summarize: Before you start writing your own game, you’d be wise to have these points covered: Ɂ A description of the setting you want to see at the table, and the sources of inspiration that you consider useful to better understand the game’s mood. Ɂ A list of Keywords describing everything you believe to be essential to your game, including the protagonists' identities, abilities, what happens during their adventures, the game world, and how all those things look during a Session. Ɂ Keeping in mind the gaming experience and the tone you want to foster at the table, consider which Basic Rules, Additional Rules, and Special Rules to include. Establishing the Game's Characteristics 17

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Before designing your own game using the Monad Echo system, it might be helpful to understand some of the design choices behind the Basic Rules. Managing the narrative Role-playing is a method of story-telling that allows Players to collaborate, creating a narrative from their decisions and the consequences of those decisions. While it may depend on the choices you make when developing your game, most systems define two types of Players: Ɂ Character: A protagonist in the game’s story that serves as an alter-ego for a Player. Ɂ Narrator: Everyone and everything else. The Narrator "moves" the fictional world around the Characters and reacts to their actions with events and NPCs. The purpose of the system is to "manage" the narrative and resolve uncertainty through Position and Defense Checks. One Session is a single continuous story or part of a story, where each Player describes what their Character does without using specific game terms. To manipulate the narrative, Players describe their actions from a point-of-view within the story. For most Players, that is the viewpoint of their Character, while the Narrator will switch between the viewpoints of different NPCs and events. Imagine a character in a movie attempting to escape a tense scene in a car. Characters won’t usually spend time agonizing over whether the car will start. Instead, they simply sit behind the wheel and try to start the car. It’s the responsibility of the Narrator to determine the context and consequences of that choice. For example, the car’s ignition may be faulty, and it won’t start. Design Principles 19

The Player then has to describe how they deal with that challenge to achieve their goals. The task of each Player is, therefore, to describe what the Character under their control does and how they act, always aiming for specific and concrete effects. Describing tangible outcomes is vital because if the Narrator doesn't intervene, that Character will get exactly what their Player described. The Narrator's main task is to react to the Players' narration through NPCs and story events, narrating in turn how the world acts around the Characters. The Narrator is also the one who starts the Scene or establishes the initial situation. Monad Echo's rules come into play when a Character’s success is uncertain, often due to opposition by an NPC or a Threat managed by the Narrator. Any uncertain outcome calls for a Position Check because the Character's position in the narrative is challenged, with the outcome determining if everything really goes as the Player has described it up to that moment. Defense Checks work in the same way, with the difference that they are caused by the actions of NPCs and Threats that the Narrator describes. In the case of Defense Checks, it is the Character's ability to maintain their current narrative position that is tested, trying to resist outside interference. Position and Defense Checks are the two primary dynamics of Monad Echo. All other game mechanics rely on those rules. Gifts, Wounds, Descriptors, and any other game component performs their function in relation to the Checks. After a Check, the game returns to the narrative, and the Player or the Narrator will describe how the situation evolves. 20 Design Principles

Narration-management game tools Monad Echo has developed several valuable tools for the Narrator and the Players to assess what happens in the narrative and when to ask for a Check. This is the heart of the system and the most important step in game management. Specifically, the primary evaluation tool is called the Descriptor. Descriptors represent the salient narrative characteristics of a Character, NPC, or any other element of the setting. As you’ll see in the rules, there are several types of Descriptors, divided according to the importance of the narrative element they describe. Descriptors are the foundation on which you build your narrative and can help the Narrator assess the need for a Check. Example: A Character with a Descriptor who identifies them as an experienced climber will have no difficulty climbing over a wall while fleeing a group of enemies. A Character without this ability, however, will have to perform a Position Check to understand how quickly they will be able to climb.

Descriptors are very useful even after you’ve decided whether or not a Check is necessary, because they also help the Narrator identify actions that might be easier or harder for a Character. As we’ll see later, that allows the Narrator to modify a Check to better fit the story. Example: An NPC with a Descriptor that identifies it as heavily armored will be harder to hit without the right weaponry. A Character that opts for a bare-handed attack could succeed, so the action requires a Position Check. However, the Check will be more difficult to pass because the Character lacks the right weapon, and so faces a disadvantage. That disadvantage should be reflected in the Opposition Level of the NPC or Threat. Use the narrative as a basis for applying rules This system aims to manage the narrative at the table using a few specific mechanics. Those mechanics allow Players to establish the narrative position of the Characters in relation to the events of the Session. For this reason, the rules should always be applied to fit the story being told, and never the other way around. Even when it is clear how to proceed, Narrator and Players should remain aware of all the Descriptors involved and how they might affect the current narrative. In fact, an identical game situation can be handled very differently from table to table. Much of the difference arises from choices made when the game was being designed and the sources used for inspiration. More importantly, each Player contributes a personal element to the table, which means every story is unique. 22 Design Principles

MONAD ECHO RULES

SCALING THE GAME TIME One of the Narrator’s responsibilities during a Session is to track time in-game. It’s a more important task than you may think because it determines the rhythm of the narrative. These are the tools that Monad Echo provides the Narrator to manage this vital aspect of the game. Scene Each Session progresses through a sequence of Scenes. A Scene represents a specific moment in the narrative characterized by a place (where), a time (when), and a clearly defined initial situation. These elements shape the stage on which the Characters evolve. It is the task of the Narrator to manage the Scenes by deciding when to end the current Scene and move on to the next one. Mechanically, Scenes are important because they also measure the duration of a Gift’s effect. A Scene typically begins when it’s interesting for the Characters to enter events and ends when the rhythm slows, or the narration no longer involves the Characters. Dividing the Session into Scenes allows the Narrator to keep the game rolling, focus on the action, and skip moments when nothing is happening. If the Scene results in a conflict between Characters and NPCs, it’s time to use the rotating turn system known as Exchange. Exchange The Exchange is a division of game time that comes into play in situations of open conflict, such as a fight. The Exchange gives each subject involved in the Scene an opportunity to attempt an action that could change their narrative position. In an Exchange, the order in which turns are taken is fluid. The Narrator divides the participants in the conflict into two sides. After determining who will be the first to act, the two sides take turns, with one member of each side acting on each turn. An Exchange ends when all the relevant Characters and NPCs have acted at 24 Monad Echo Rules

least once. If the conflict continues, the Narrator starts the process of the Exchange again. One conflict may be divided into several Exchanges. The basic idea is that everyone should have an equal chance at the spotlight. Two Exchanges in the same conflict may have entirely different turn orders. If it makes sense in the narrative, it’s perfectly reasonable for the Character who acted last in the previous Exchange to act first in the next. It allows the Character to follow up immediately after pressing an opponent, as well as providing an opportunity for some cinematic storytelling. However, the narrative doesn’t handle all the participants in a conflict in the same way. Even if there are more opponents than Characters, the Narrator should still make sure both sides still take an equal number of turns. The number of enemies is already a powerful narrative advantage because opponents can encircle the Characters, prevent them from escaping, or assist each other in threatening the Characters. What really matters in an Exchange is that important Characters and NPCs have their moment to act and alter the situation to their advantage while everything else remains in the background. Session A Session is the period of time during which Players gather at the table to play and is generally equivalent to an afternoon or an evening of play. Interlude The Interlude is a phase of play that allows all Players to take stock of the situation. It’s also a moment for Characters to take a breather and recover their energy. During an Interlude, the mechanical values on the Character sheets (Wounds, Descriptors, and Gifts) are reset, and Players can spend the XP they’ve accumulated to improve their Characters. The Narrator uses the Interlude to adapt the game world to the events that have unfolded and advance the NPCs’ Agenda. Monad Echo Rules 25

26 Monad Echo Rules

MANAGING A FIGHT Combat is a fundamental part of role-playing games for many players, and it represents a moment of action and fun, a legacy of classic fantasy role-playing games. There's nothing wrong with this vision, and many Monad Echo settings, such as Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron, prioritize combat. However, it’s important to approach each game on its own terms and according to its goals, rather than try to turn every game into a tactical simulation. A fight is nothing more than a part of the story during which events are described in more detail than in other types of Scene. The Exchange rule was designed to keep track of the actions of Characters and NPCs in moments of conflict, such as combat. However, it’s necessary to always focus on the narrative, describing how the Characters fight, including their actions and intentions. It’s mechanically important that Players add descriptions of their actions rather than simply declaring generic "attacks" against enemies within reach. After all, a fight is a great opportunity to describe something in an epic and engaging way. Picture the fights in your favorite movies and comics. It’s never just a matter of exchanging punches until someone falls. Players are more likely to have fun when they are encouraged to seek and narrate creative solutions, and to take advantage of narrative positioning to gain advantages and additional effects in combat. Keep in mind that everything starts from the narrative, which is then processed by the rules. When participating in a fight, the most common error is to "take your turn and pass." That approach is typical of much more structured games with systems focused on strategy and tactics, often in ways that resemble a board game. When managing a battle narratively, you will notice that many of the actions taken by Characters and NPCs are not direct attacks, but related actions, such as hindering an enemy or bringing someone to safety. The potential of this approach is that it allows Characters not designed to be capable fighters to have an active role during fights without being pushed to the sidelines. But how to manage the narrative in these situations? The answer, as usual, is evaluating what happens in the narrative, which must then be filtered by the rules. As already mentioned, Descriptors and the tone of the game contribute to these assessments. The circumstances of the fight should be considered to determine if a Check is necessary or if the initial Opposition Level needs to be adjusted. Numerical superiority, attempts to hinder actions, and diversions are all examples of situations that affect the narrative of the fight. In addition to the Position Check, the main ways to disentangle a combat situation are: Ɂ Requesting a Defense Check: Defense Checks are useful when the narrative must reflect a sudden obstacle or when the Player's description doesn’t take into account story elements that would prevent them from reaching their goal. For example, a Character wants to engage the enemy leader. However, they are protected by a couple of bodyguards. The Character has to pass a Defense Check to determine if they can avoid the guards and make their attack. Ɂ Raising or lowering the Opposition Level: An action or description that fits particularly well within the narrative may prompt the Narrator to lower the Opposition Level, particularly if it exploits a weakness listed as part of an NPC’s Descriptor. This is one of the best ways to reward an action that goes above and beyond a simple attack. On the other hand, an action that opposes a strength listed as part of a Descriptor will be more difficult for the Character to perform, leading the Narrator to increase the Opposition Level. Monad Echo Rules 27

Ɂ Interrupt the action because it’s impossible: The Narrator may rule that, because of the narrative circumstances, a Position Check may not be possible because there are story elements that prevent the action’s success. A Character surrounded by more than ten enemies can’t be described as running away if they haven’t found an opening first. Ɂ Succeed at an action without the need for a Check: if a Character offers themselves as bait to attract the attention of an opponent, it might become so easy for other Characters to hit the enemy from behind that no Check is required. Declaring an attack on someone does not automatically mean having to perform a Check. All these mechanics are versatile and can be used if needed, depending on the Descriptors involved and the aesthetics of the table. A character who has As nimble as an acrobat as a Descriptor could avoid being surrounded, perhaps making a simple Defense Check to prevent it. During combat, you should always assess the narrative according to the unique situation at your table without relying on a cliche resolution. Monad Echo starts with the story and then applies the rules to allow the greatest freedom of imagination. It’s also important to keep in mind that the same situation can be resolved differently during the same Scene because the narrative is always evolving. Referring back to the fourth example: an enemy could lower their guard if distracted by a Character. However, the enemy may now be alerted, so the same trick won’t work twice. POSITION AND DEFENSE CHECKS When a Character performs an action, the Narrator assesses whether a Check is necessary. If the Character acts to achieve something in the narrative but may fail due to an NPC or Threat, then it is time to ask for a Position Check. This applies any time the Character is the one initiating the action. Only actions that face opposition that could cause the Character to fail require a Position Check. This need will be determined by the Descriptors involved in the current narrative and the tone of the game. If the Narrator instead describes circumstances in which NPCs or a Threat act against the Character, it is instead called a Defense Check. This applies to any action with an uncertain outcome in which the Character is passive. The Defense Check represents a Character's re28 Monad Echo Rules

action and their attempt to avoid a problem that is actively threatening them. A Defense Check is used when the Narrator takes the floor, presenting a Threat or an NPC as an obstacle that the Character must overcome. The Narrator never does a Check. A Position Check is performed when a Character acts, and the result is in doubt. On the other hand, a Defense Check applies when NPCs or Threats act against a Character. In either case, the Character’s Player does the Check. Resolving a Check Here is Monad Echo's standard resolution flow. If you know some of our games (Broken Tales), but not others (Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron, Evolution Pulse Rebirth, Dead Air: Seasons), you will notice variations in the process that will be discussed later.

When calling for a Position or Defense Check, the Narrator: Ɂ Declares the Opposition Level of the Opponent or Threat. Ɂ Adapts the Opposition Level by a maximum of +/-1 based on the Character's situation and narrative position in relation to their Descriptors and those of the opposition. Ɂ Assigns the Character any Drawbacks that apply: Ƚ As a result of a Gift’s effect imposed by an Opponent or a Threat. Ƚ As a result of a Cost obtained by the Character in a Check prior to the current one. Ɂ Identifies the Attribute to be used in the Check based on the description of the action provided by the Player. The Player at this point: Ɂ Checks if one of their Descriptors can help in the action. If so, the Player describes how their Descriptor helps and has the opportunity to spend Soma. Ɂ Compares their Base Successes (corresponding to the value of the Attribute involved in the action) to the OL of the NPC or Threat. To obtain a positive Outcome, the Character must achieve a total of Successes (given by the sum of the Base Successes and Additional Successes) that at least matches the OL they are facing. 30 Monad Echo Rules

Ɂ Chooses the desired type of Outcome, which determines the number of Successes required: Ƚ Outcome with a Cost (original OL). Ƚ Standard Outcome (OL + 1). Ƚ Outcome with an Increment (OL + 2). Ɂ ● Considers whether they are entitled to one or more Advantages: Ƚ As an effect of a Gift. Ƚ As a result of an Increment obtained by the Character (or a companion) in a Check prior to the current one. Ɂ Resolves any Advantages or Drawbacks gained. Advantages and Drawbacks: Ƚ Cancel each other out in a 1:1 ratio. Ƚ Are limited to a maximum of 3 each during a single Check. To gain the Additional Successes they need, the Character: Ɂ Can spend Soma from their pool to get 1 Additional Success for each point invested, but only if they have brought a Descriptor into play. Ɂ Can decide to roll one or more Dice and hope to get an Additional Success for each die rolled. All the dice must be rolled at the same time. For each die: a result of 1 equals a Failure, while results from 2 to 6 are considered Additional Successes. A single Failure (a 1 on any die rolled) causes the whole Check to fail. Monad Echo Rules 31

DO NOT HIDE THE THREATS' AND NPCS' DESCRIPTOR As you’ll see later when information management is discussed, there is no good reason to hide the Descriptors of NPCs and Threats from Players, especially when they will be revealed when calculating the results of a Check. As always, following the narrative will make it easy to understand when to reveal information about a Threat or NPC. In general, remember that the more players understand what they are facing, the more likely they are to get involved. Of course, discovering that a monster has "a powerful poisonous bite" can be a nice twist, but if a Character is an expert on either monsters or poisons, it does not make much sense to deny them this information. On the contrary, revealing it will highlight their abilities. As a general rule, it doesn’t make much sense to keep a Threat or NPC's OL and Descriptors hidden if they’ve been revealed by the narrative. The "surprise" effect only makes sense the first time. 32 Monad Echo Rules

TYPES OF OUTCOME Once the Check has been performed, the result of the action is determined in the following ways: Ɂ Rolling even one Failure (1) on a die or accumulating a total of Successes lower than the action’s OL means the action fails and becomes a Failure: the Character doesn’t achieve what they set out to, or they achieve their goal, but things do not go exactly as hoped. The narrative moves forward anyway, and the position of the Character becomes more precarious. If they were attempting to avoid harm, they suffer 1 Wound. Ɂ Accumulating a total of Successes equal to the OL grants an Outcome with a Cost: the Character succeeds, but there is a price to pay. The Narrator determines the Cost. If the action was geared towards inflicting damage, they will inflict 1 Wound. If they were attempting to avoid harm, they do, but with some complication. Ɂ Accumulating a total number of Successes 1 point greater than the OL grants a Standard Outcome: the Character achieves their goals. If they were attempting to avoid harm, they manage the problem without complications of any kind. If the action was geared towards inflicting damage, they will inflict 1 Wound. Ɂ Accumulating a total number of Successes 2 or more points greater than the OL grants an Outcome with an Increment: the Character succeeds better than expected and gains an Increment in addition to the result of their action. The Narrator establishes the Increment, or alternatively, the Character can obtain a special Increment provided by one of their Gifts. If they were attempting to avoid harm, they avoided the problem perfectly and receive an additional bonus. If the action was geared towards inflicting damage, they will inflict 1 Wound. Monad Echo Rules 33

SUCCESSES, FAILURES, AND WOUNDS Inflicting or sustaining a Wound is a Check-related mechanic that doesn’t take place only during combat or dangerous situations. As a rule of thumb, once the outcome of the Check is established, it’s a good idea to ask yourself if anyone will be harmed by the events described in the Check. If so, then it makes sense to also apply a Wound. It’s important to base this assessment on the events of the narrative and not the indifferent application of a rule. It must make narrative sense before it becomes a mechanical effect on the Character sheet. Striking an enemy with a wooden stick will not inflict a Wound unless the narrative depicts it being wielded with great force or the enemy collapsing to the ground. For the same reason, it is possible to suffer a Wound even outside of a Check, if it’s an obvious outcome of the narrative. If a Character is inside a house that is collapsing and does nothing to get to safety (because maybe they have to retrieve an object important for the mission), it is quite reasonable for them to remain stuck under the collapsing ceiling and suffer one or more Wounds. The tone of the game and the Descriptors should also come into play when making such a judgment. If you are playing as a group of young superheroes and one Character has the power to create force fields to repel threats, it makes more sense not to inflict Wounds or to request a Defense Check against the newly created Threat, Sudden Collapse. 34 Monad Echo Rules

RESUMING THE NARRATIVE After a Position or Defense Check, the narrative always continues. A Check always changes the current situation, whether it results in a successful Outcome or a Failure. A Failure does not necessarily mean you fail completely. The Character could still get what they wanted, but with little control over how things happen or the consequences of the action. A Position Check to seal the security doors of a space station can have several outcomes. The Character could remain locked inside with the alien they are trying to isolate. As another example, a Position Check to sail through a storm can have many outcomes. One outcome could be that the ship escapes sinking but is stranded on an unknown island. A Position Check to push someone off a building can have several outcomes. One might be that the Character gets dragged over the edge with their target! MANAGING THE NARRATIVE In general, a Failure is always less interesting than a Success, especially a Success with a Cost. For this reason, the math behind the system pushes towards a much higher chance of obtaining a positive Outcome than a Failure. The system requires the designer to be aware of this factor, so that you create adventures and problems that can’t be solved by hitting a single “magic button.” A Position Check always moves the narrative forward, even by just a few seconds. The new status quo will always be different from the situation before the Check. If a Player wants to, they can succeed automatically by spending the right amount of Soma. They will not be able to do this for every Check, but they will be able to do it when it really matters. The power of the Narrator comes from manipulating the narrative so that it leads to a Check and the ability to decide which NPCs and which Threats are present in a Scene. It is essential that the Characters have the power to decide when and how much risk to take, since the Narrator has the power and duty to always put them under pressure by providing interesting situations to face. Monad Echo Rules 35

CHARACTER VS. CHARACTER On occasion, one Character may try to harm another. In this case, the Narrator determines who is acting (the Active Character): they will have to make a Position Check. The OL will be given by the Passive Character's most relevant Attribute increased by 2. The Passive Character cannot spend Soma to increase the Opposition Level. COSTS AND INCREMENTS Depending on the result of the Position and Defense Checks, the Narrator may need to create a Cost or an Increment: Ɂ A Cost is some kind of narrative disadvantage, such as spending too much time or consuming a resource while performing the action. Alternatively, the Character suffers 1 Drawback on their next Check or, if it makes sense in the narrative, suffers 1 Wound. Ɂ An Increment is some kind of narrative advantage, such as spending less time on an action or getting to a better position after an attack. Alternatively, the Character gains 1 Advantage on their next Check, or offers 1 Advantage to an Ally, to be spent on their next Check. Costs and Increments are decided by the Narrator, keeping in mind that they should make sense in the narrative. Some Gifts, however, allow the Character to replace the proposed Increment with one provided by the Gift itself. The next page features some suggestions for Costs and Increments. 36 Monad Echo Rules

Costs You retreat or move away from the goal you wanted to achieve / You avoid the danger but hesitate and do not overcome the obstacle / You injure yourself or spend a lot of energy, suffering 1 Wound / You lose, break, or drop something, or waste more resources than expected / Your opponent can move away from you without you being able to do anything / You promise or give away something you wanted to keep / You reveal important information or something about yourself or an ally / You need more time than you expected / What you get is not complete, making it useless / You lower your guard or you are taken by surprise: receive 1 Drawback for your next Position or Defense Check in the Scene. Increments You can maneuver towards your objective, or push it in a direction of your choice / You move away from an opponent without anyone being able to prevent it / You acquire an object on the fly, picking it up from the ground or removing it from a backpack without wasting time / You block the movement of an opponent, forcing them to stop / You offer fewer guarantees than required in a negotiation and still succeed, or you get more than expected / You impress or charm other subjects present who will remember you in the future / You unlock a secret or discover a subject’s vices or habits / You spend less time than expected, or you get better results in the same amount of time / You help an ally to reposition themselves in the Scene, in addition to succeeding in the action you have taken / You gain 1 Advantage on your next Check or provide 1 Advantage on the next Check of an ally, to be spent within the current Scene. Monad Echo Rules 37

THE MATH BEHIND CHECKS To create a game based on Monad Echo, it is essential to understand the math behind the system. Monad Echo gives the Player a lot of decision-making power, as they can always spend Soma to reduce the chances of failure and guarantee a positive Outcome. That is why determining Opposition Levels and the Character's Base Successes is vital to the balance of the Session. The basic assumption is that a Character starts the Session with a limited number of resources (Soma), but these resources are very versatile. The Player's decisions will determine which events are important for them to succeed at and, therefore, worth spending resources on. The Narrator must remain aware of the Players’ power in this regard and avoid setting Scenes and situations in which the Failure of the Characters is the only way to continue with the narration - Characters will always be able to prevent this from happening. The Narrator presents Checks and obstacles, but it is the Players who decide how much to risk. The types of Outcomes give granularity to each Check, allowing you to manipulate the narrative using additional effects. Costs and Increments formalize these effects, providing guidelines to tune the narrative. A fair ratio between Opposition Level and Base Successes is fundamental to a fun game. If you are wondering what the formula behind a Check is, here it is: The standard Opposition Level for an action is 4. This is because the average of Base Successes obtained through an Attribute is 3 (with variations between 2 and 4), as explained on page 105. An Opposition Level of 4 always results in an interesting situation: Ɂ It can be matched for a Cost with the average of 3 Base Successes, plus rolling 1 single die or spending 1 Soma. Ɂ With 4 Base Successes (an above-average value that represents a field where a Character excels), a Player will have to decide whether to settle for an Outcome with a Cost or take a chance and go further. Ɂ With 2 Base Successes (a below-average value that represents a Character's weakness), a Player will need at least 2 Additional Successes for an Outcome with a Cost and 3 for a Standard Outcome. By design, it’s tempting for Players to settle for an Outcome with a Cost. For the Player, it is a good way to save Soma and lower the risk of Failing by rolling fewer dice. For the Narrator, an Outcome with a Cost provides an opportunity to generate small complications in the narrative. It’s always more interesting for a Character to succeed in what they are doing, but with contingencies to deal with, rather than simply failing. 38 Monad Echo Rules

ADVANTAGE AND DRAWBACK Advantages and Drawbacks can be used to give personality to the Gifts of Characters and NPCs, or to give a mechanical value to Costs and Increases. Those elaborations on the narrative can be turned into a bonus or penalty to the Character's Check. Advantages and Drawbacks can be managed in two ways: With dice: the dice used for this purpose should be a different color from your Standard dice. Drawback dice cause a Failure on a result of 1 or 2. Advantage dice do not cause a Failure on a 1, but a Neutral result that does not count as a Success. As modifiers to Base Successes: -1 Base Success in the case of Drawback and +1 Base Success in the case of Advantage. A Character can never accumulate Advantages from the same "source," such as by using two different Gifts. However, they can choose to use the one that confers the greatest bonuses. Drawback dice CANNOT be discarded by spending Soma. A Player is always forced to roll them, even when the Character already has an automatic positive Outcome. Advantages and Drawbacks cancel each other out in a 1:1 ratio. No more than 3 Advantages or 3 Drawbacks can be applied to a single Check, not including any modifiers that may have been canceled out. Monad Echo Rules 39

EXCESS FLATTENS, DOSING WISELY MAKES THINGS STANDS OUT Advantages and Drawbacks provide a handy subsystem that can increase the customization of Characters, Threats, and NPCs. However, when designing a game based on Monad Echo it’s important not to exaggerate this mechanic, and avoid creating bonuses and penalties which cancel each other out. In the end, it doesn’t add anything to the narrative. For example, if almost every NPC has a Gift that inflicts a Drawback to the Characters, owning a Gift that gives an Advantage becomes a "requirement" to overcome a "problem" that, in reality, has become a constant in almost every Check. This dynamic only creates a mutual cancellation effect. Additionally, a common mistake for Players new to Monad Echo is to assume the Narrator can arbitrarily assign Drawbacks and Advantages based on the situation. That’s not true of our game, though the Narrator can determine that Costs or Increments obtained as part of an Outcome will become Drawbacks or Advantages on subsequent turns. Remember that the Narrator is a Player. Assuming they have that much authority is based on experience with other games, in which the Narrator role has that sort of discretion. Why can’t the Narrator simply assign Advantages and Drawbacks arbitrarily? It wouldn’t take storytelling into account, and what we want to do with Monad Echo is filter the storytelling through the rules, not vice versa. The only correct way to modify the Check difficulty is to go through the Descriptors of those involved in the situation, while keeping in mind any Increments or Costs from previous turns. As a result, instead of being determined by the Narrator, Advantages and Drawbacks are assigned by Gifts, Increments, or Costs. An extended example of Check (taken from Broken Tales) Garou the Old Wolf is exploring the area around the town of Durfort. Meanwhile, his companions are having a conversation with the noble Dubois, hoping to get a grasp of what is happening in the Red Hood Iskra Scenario. The Narrator warns Garou of the presence of a rapidly approaching pack of wolves. No Check is required because it is a piece of information Garou knows (as will be explained in the Managing information paragraph) and in addition, Garou has the Gift Find Them Forever After, which allows Garou to perceive noises and smells before anyone else. Safely among the foliage, Garou prepares an ambush for the new arrivals, determined to make immediately clear that this is now his territory. The wolves arrive a few meters from the hiding place and Garou decides to attack, jumping on them. However, the Narrator points out that wolves have a very acute sense of smell (as reported by their Descriptor) and therefore the surprise effect could fade before Garou manages to bite one. At this point, the Narrator requires a Defense Check to see if the Character will really be able to perform the surprise attack. Garou agrees to take the risk 40 Monad Echo Rules

and does the Check. If not, Garou would have remained in hiding waiting for a better opportunity. Continuing with the example, Garou is facing a pack of four wolves. Through a Defense Check, Garou has approached the enemies from behind, taking them by surprise. Garou's Descriptors tell us that he is a Fierce and Powerful Predator, and that is definitely relevant to what they are doing. Therefore, Garou receives 3 Base Successes. The Narrator declares that the Opposition Level of the wolves is Medium, which is equal to 5. However, the Narrator decides to lower it to 4 because the wolves’ Descriptor specifies that they obey only their Alpha Greskar or Iskra, and neither of them is present in the Scene. Garou has 3 Base Successes and needs at least 1 Additional Success to reach the Opposition Level. This is the minimum to get an Outcome with a Cost. Now the Player can decide if they want 2 Additional Successes to reach a Standard Outcome (1 Success over the Opposition Level) or 3 Additional Successes to aim for an Outcome with an Increment (2 Successes over the Opposition Level). Garou doesn't mind a Standard Outcome: they now have to choose how to get the 2 missing Additional Successes to achieve it. As the last step, Garou decides to exchange 1 Soma for a Success, and then roll 1 single die. The die comes up a 3: Success. Garou gets a Standard Outcome, which is up to the Storyteller to describe. Let's see all the possible results of Garou’s Check: Rolling even a single 1 on the dice makes the action fail. In this case, the action fails: if the Character's goal is to somehow avoid a Wound, they will suffer it. The narration, however, goes on anyway. Whether the Character wants it or not, something changes, and, in the case of a Failure, it does so in a way that affects them negatively. The Narrator describes the result: Garou hurries to avoid alerting the wolves, but this makes the attack hasty and inaccurate. The bite misses its mark as the other wolf dodges the attack and turns around, ready to face the threat. By obtaining a total of Successes equal to the Opposition Level: the action would result in an Outcome with a Cost. The Character gets what they want but at a Cost chosen by the Narrator from the appropriate list, in line with what is happening. As a result of Success, if Monad Echo Rules 41

the Character's goal is to harm a target in some way, a Wound can be inflicted. The Narrator describes the result: Garou sinks their fangs into the throat of one of the wolves, which, being able to suffer only 1 Wound, is instantly killed. Unfortunately, as the animal falls to the ground, it drags Garou with it, throwing the Hunter off balance. The Narrator assigns 1 Drawback to Garou’s next Check. By obtaining a total of 1 Success above the Opposition Level: the action would result in a Standard Outcome. In this case, the Character gets what they intended and, if consistent, can inflict 1 Wound on one or more targets. The Narrator describes the result: Garou sinks their fangs into the throat of the enemy, which, being able to suffer a single Wound, is killed instantly. By obtaining a total of Successes 2 points over the Opposition Level: the outcome is an Outcome with an Increment. The Character gets what they have set out to do and an Increment, an additional effect increasing the range of the action itself. The Increment is provided by the Narrator in relation to the situation and the objectives of the Character, choosing from the generic list. Alternatively, if the Character’s Gifts grant special Increments, they may choose to activate them. The Narrator describes the result: Garou sinks his fangs into the throat of the enemy, which, being able to suffer a single Wound, is killed instantly. Garou sprints past the opponent's body and pushes the remaining wolves along a narrow path to prevent being surrounded, as stated by the Player at the start of the attack. The Storyteller will therefore neither be able to exploit the narrative advantage of Garou being outnumbered for the wolves’ next action, nor their Gift which confers advantages to them when they outnumber a prey. 42 Monad Echo Rules

Summary table for the management of Checks Type of Check When is it done? What are the criteria for the Check? Who narrates the resolution? What are the mechanical implications? Position Check The Character is actively trying to position themselves in a certain way within the narrative, and the outcome is unsure. The Narrator calls for the Check, based on the narration of the Character and what they are trying to achieve. The Narrator portrays the result for a positive Outcome, the Player in case of a Failure. The action continues with either a positive Outcome or a Failure. If it resulted in a positive Outcome, the Character achieves some or all of the goals they described in the narrative. Defense Check The Character endures the action of something (NPC or Threat) that actively seeks to hinder them. The Narrator requests the Character to make the Check based on the NPC or Threat's actions. The Narrator describes the result in a positive Outcome, the Player in case of Failure.. The danger is either escaped or suffered and the action continues. The Character can only achieve goals related to avoiding the danger. DISTRIBUTION OF NARRATION DUTIES You may have noticed that Monad Echo delegates many of the duties of Check evaluation and narration to the Narrator. To some extent, that may allow the Narrator to "push" the situation toward their preferences. However, it’s important to understand that all the dynamics of Check management are actually in the hands of the Players. The Narrator presents the Check and Opposition Level, but it is up to the Players to decide how to deal with it, such as automatically reaching a positive Outcome by spending the required Soma. Keep in mind when designing your game that having the Narrator make the majority of the decisions (Costs, Increments, changing Opposition Levels) follows a principle designed to make the narrative as fluid as possible, rather than giving one Player authority over the others. Monad Echo could also work perfectly well by allowing the Players to choose each individual Cost or Increment, rather than leaving it up to the Narrator. However, each option placed on the table would slow the game down by interrupting the narrative before and after each Check, because the Player would understandably want to evaluate each option. Why does the Player narrate the Failures? It allows the narration to remain consistent and gives the Player final say over a situation in which their Character has been defeated. You may find while playing that this rule is more of a safety net to assist in mutual understanding at the table rather than a strict rule to enforce. Some procedures are used to clearly establish who has the last word in case of doubt, as detailed in the mandatory use of the rules (page 100). In 90% of cases, the narrative of the action itself will establish beyond any reasonable doubt what happens in case of success and failure. In the rare cases in which the Player and Narrator do not agree on the result of a Check, the Player gets to decide. Monad Echo Rules 43

DIFFICULTY IN MONAD ECHO While it may be counterintuitive, it’s important to understand that the Opposition Level doesn’t measure the difficulty of the situation. Instead, the Opposition Level represents an abstraction. It gauges the ability of an NPC or Threat to oppose a Character's attempt to change their narrative position. The Opposition Level comes into play in a specific instance, when Checks are needed, and has no "narrative value" outside of them. It is a number that simply says how resistant that NPC or Threat is to others changing the narrative around it. But how do you best modify the difficulty in your imagined game world? In a game system that manages a narrative, the difficulty of a specific Scene is determined by the narrative itself. The more elements, NPCs, and situations are present in a Scene, the more difficult it will be for the Characters to manage. High Opposition Levels will only push Players to look for alternative solutions, rather than rely on chance. If the Players act on the present narrative to get what they want, the Narrator must act on the narrative “upstream” of the Scene to make the situation interesting. Specifically, here is how to make difficulty thresholds tangible by acting on the narrative and not on the numbers: Ɂ Many elements to be managed: a high number of NPCs, or linked Threats, require more effort than a single problem with a very high OL. That problem requires only a single Check to be overcome. By manipulating the narrative, you can present different situations that will require the commitment of more Characters and resources to be addressed. Ɂ Descriptors as difficulty: Descriptors, particularly for NPCs and Threats, can make the difference between a feasible and impossible Check. They are an excellent system for introducing a narrative obstacle that must be solved before the Character can actually act. The most classic example is that of the vampire, a creature that can only be hurt by certain things (sunlight, ash stake). A vampire NPC would possess a Descriptor that outlines these immunities and weaknesses. To succeed against such a foe, the Characters have to take advantage of its weaknesses (by adding to the narrative) in order to make a Check against it. Ɂ Consider the narrative and not the numbers: managing NPCs and Threats as an authentic facet of the narrative, and not as mere obstacles, opens up every situation to infinite possibilities. The Players at the table must learn to liberate themselves from the concept of rolling dice to resolve situations. Instead, they should focus on adding to the story to change their circumstances. A powerful enemy who shuns a fight in which they are at an open disadvantage, and exploits their resources to reverse the situation, is an antidote to the concept of the Bad Guy who only shows up to fight. Tying vital aspects of an NPC or Threat to the story can draw attention from the dice and help the Players focus on changing the narrative to crack challenges. 44 Monad Echo Rules

MANAGING INFORMATION During their adventures, the Characters will have to collect information related to the environment in which they move. Often the information they collect is essential to continue with the story. Missing important information because of a failed Position Check can cause the narrative to stall and frustrate the Players. In general, when a Player tries to obtain information about the game world or what their Character might know, the Narrator must ask the following questions. As a guideline, we’ve created something called the Information Ladder, which must be followed in ascending order until the answer to the current narrative question is found. 1. Does one of the Character Descriptors grant the information? The Character gets it, with no further requirements. 2. Does it take time to get the information? The Narrator describes what’s required to the Player, and the Player will decide if their Character wants to spend the necessary time. 3. Does getting the information put the Character at risk? The Narrator introduces a Threat or NPC hostile to the Character into the Scene or asks the Player for a Defense Check in case of immediate danger. 4. Can the Character find the information? The Narrator provides guidance on who has it or how the Character can get it, creating a new Scene. 5. Could the information give the Character an advantage without hurting the narrative? The Narrator asks the Player for a Position Check. Monad Echo Rules 45

If the information the Players are asking for doesn’t open up any new possibilities for the story, make that clear to them. Rather than wasting time on a dead end, point them toward a more promising path. THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION One of the most important considerations when designing a game is that Characters have access to information they need for the plot to continue. Demanding a Position Check to obtain vital information adds an element totally out of both the Characters’ and Narrator’s control. The Narrator always ends up holding the tiger by the tail, bending events to provide the information in another way. As always, the solution is to manipulate the narrative to modify the amount of time and resources needed to obtain the essential information. The Information Ladder previously presented can guide the Narrator when handling requests for information from the Players. What if we want to write an investigative game? Same deal, or even more so. Finding clues and information is an essential part of this type of game. Here are some suggestions to highlight an investigative dynamic. Ɂ Specific Gifts and Descriptors can expand the Character's access to information, allowing them to ignore some steps of the Information Ladder. Ɂ Rather than focusing on how to find clues, pay attention to how to interpret them and create a series of connected clues. An ancient book of magic is clearly at the center of a bloody ritual, but it is written in an incomprehensible language and the Characters have to find someone who can translate it. Ɂ Some Gifts may provide additional information that facilitates investigations, but which isn’t critical to the story. The first time the Characters use this information, they should receive an Advantage on their next Check. 46 Monad Echo Rules

CHARACTERS AND GAME WORLD

DESCRIPTORS Descriptors apply to Characters, Opponents, and Threats. They are concise sentences that list a subject’s primary talents and flaws. The Narrator uses Descriptors to judge how subjects can apply their skills and knowledge during the game. Descriptors can have different functions and forms. For example, Character Descriptors have a different form than those of Threats and NPCs. For the Characters, Descriptors are composed of two parts: a positive part, which describes a Character's ability or strength, and the Downside, which highlights a defect or weakness. In addition to helping Players play their Character Descriptors: Ɂ Can be invoked by the Characters whenever its benefit can bestow an advantage in the narrative. Invoking a Descriptor allows a Character involved in a Position Check to spend Soma to affect the Outcome. Ɂ Can be marked if, during a Scene, acting out the Descriptor's Downside has created a complication for the Character. During an Interlude, each marked Descriptor gives the Character XP. 48 Characters and Game World

Example: Albert has the Descriptor, “I am a capable physician, but I have lost many patients along the way, and sometimes I doubt my ability.” Daniel, his partner, is having trouble breathing after searching a chemical laboratory. Albert determines that this is a reaction to a substance that Daniel came into contact with in the lab after evaluating the symptoms. However, he has no way of knowing what substance it is, so to effectively treat the patient, the Narrator requires a Position Check. Albert invokes his Descriptor, “I am a capable physician,” to spend Soma Points for the Check. Later, while negotiating with a nomadic community for supplies with his friends, Albert is asked to help a member of the allied community who was seriously hurt by a monster while on patrol. Despite Albert's ability to save the patient, the Player who is interpreting him decides that his Character is shaken by the situation and reacts awkwardly and slowly. The patient dies, and Albert earns the disdain of the nomads; the negotiation becomes more challenging, but Albert can mark his Descriptor "Sometimes I doubt my ability" and claim an additional XP at the conclusion of the Crisis. The Descriptors for NPCs and Threats are descriptive sentences that fit the narrative and that the Narrator can use to control those elements of the story. These Descriptors are typically composed like those of the Characters but may not have a Downside. The Descriptors for NPCs and Threats should be more flexible, so they can be modified to fit their place in the narrative. Characters and Game World 49