The Comae Engine [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

Victor Castillo Rodriguez (Order #37333602)

CREATE BETTER STORIES Take d100 Roleplaying Back to its Core Comae Engine charts a new path for the classic d100 rules. They have been retooled from the ground up for more creative storytelling, keeping the rooted approach players have enjoyed for decades. At the core is a versatile conflict resolution system. Combine mysteries, social conflicts, puzzles, stunts, combat – and most other challenges used in modern storytelling. You can play almost any story, in any genre. Comae Engine is a standalone game. If you are familiar with classic d100 games, you will feel right at home

Victor Castillo Rodriguez (Order #37333602)

THE

COMAE ENGINE Recasting d100 Roleplaying v 0.96 Written by Clarence Redd Game Mechanics by Clarence Redd, Michael Larrimore and William Yon Design and Layout by Clarence Redd Illustrations by xx and xx Special Thanks to Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker

Copyright © 2022 by Clarence Redd ISBN 000-0-0000-0000-0

Published by FrostByte Books. First edition 2022

Victor Castillo Rodriguez (Order #37333602)

CONTENT Preface ......................................... 5 Readme ........................................ 6 Characters ................................... 8 Skills ............................................ 9 Focus ........................................... 11 Tags ............................................. 16 Conflict Pools ............................. 18 Luck Points ................................. 20 Character Sheet........................... 22 Conflicts ...................................... 24 Skill Rolls ..................................... 25 Extended Conflicts ...................... 26 Damage ........................................ 30 Lenses ......................................... 32 NPCs ........................................... 38 Code Blocks................................. 38 Stats............................................ 39 Generator..................................... 40

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PREFACE Comae Engine is a downsized roleplaying game when you need quick mechanics to tell a good story Painfully late in the design process of my first roleplaying game, M-SPACE, I discovered how to play exciting scenarios without resorting to in-game violence. Eager to share my findings, I shoehorned the rules into a short chapter named Extended Conflicts. Those few pages turned out to be the most important of the book, completely changing how I played d100 games. In the years that followed, I kept experimenting with the most fundamental pieces of the rules: conflict resolution and characters. I felt certain they could be taken much further by stripping them to the core and build everything back on top of the Extended Conflicts. And after several false starts and failed attempts over the years, Comae Engine has finally taken shape. By recasting the d100 RPG fundamentals, I have found that Comae Engine also recasts the actors of the game. With a flexible conflict resolution, allowing for more varied storytelling, players bring out new sides of their characters – and themselves. Aggression is down, creative thinking up. It’s as if roleplaying finally leaves its war-gaming roots behind – all without switching rule systems. I hope you enjoy this new take on d100 roleplaying. Clarence Redd, July 2022

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README We all tell stories. And when we do not tell them, we listen to other people’s stories From an evolutionary viewpoint, stories helped humanity survive. When the wolves attacked twelve years ago, this is how we beat them. The art of literature grew from prosaic assertions like that. The step from retelling an event, to a tale answering the question What if…? is surprisingly short even today.

Story + Game Roleplaying games (RPGs) take storytelling and turn it into a structured game. They tell you whether a difficult task fails or succeeds, how long you can keep trying and what a failure might mean. With just a few numbers and some dice as a framework, the rules allow you to make up fantastic stories with your friends. And Comae Engine is designed to make this collaborative storytelling as exciting and flexible as possible.

Back to the Core In many ways, this is a rulebook reduced to its core. Not only has every word been carefully weighed, the actual rules have also been condensed to a minimum. The text might seem a bit dry at times, but this is meant to get you started playing quickly. Characters and conflicts form the basic building blocks in Comae Engine, just like in a good book or movie. With these rules in place, you will have a solid foundation to build upon.

If You are New to Roleplaying If this is your first roleplaying game, take a moment to look at //link// before reading this book. That way, you will get to know the basics and some terminology before digging in.

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GAME OVERVIEW »»

Easy to Learn. The basic rules of Comae Engine are quick to learn. You

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Modular. If you need more detailed rules, you can add them as you go. This book contains a few extras and more will be available as separate plugins. This will let your stories dictate what rules you need, not the other way around.

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Flexible Conflicts. The rules in Comae Engine have been retooled to nudge roleplaying away from its combat-oriented past. Social conflicts, natural obstacles, puzzles, chases, fist fights – all challenges are given the same attention of detail.

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NPCs Have Feelings Too. All non-player characters have personalities and goals. And you can create them during play, keeping preparations to a minimum. Killing and looting might be popular in some RPGs – this is not one of those games.

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Scale Up. If you enjoy Comae Engine but would like more nitty-gritty rule details – well, you can! This book has two older siblings, M-SPACE and Odd Soot, going deeper in almost every aspect. And their half-sibling, Mythras, offers yet another layer of detail.

can make a character in just a few minutes and start playing. The rules are intuitive, with roll-under of a skill percentage to succeed in most tasks. There is a bit more to it, but d100 games are beginner-friendly, without losing any of the appeal for seasoned players.

With all the introductions made, it is time to take on the rules. The next chapter jumps straight into character creation, telling you everything needed to create a hero. After that, rules for conflicts are covered, to turn the hero’s journey into an exciting story.

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CHARACTERS Characters in Comae Engine consist of four main components:

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Skills. Nine broad skills define what knowledge a character possess, often connected to a career. Range: 0-100% Conflict Pools. Four Conflict Pools show how much damage and stress the character can take. Range: 1-20 points. Tags. Tags represent any advantages the character has picked up, like wealth or a secret identity. Represented by a few words. Luck Points. Luck Points make sure fate stays on the character’s side – as it should for heroes. Range 1-3 points.

In the next section - Extended Conflicts, starting on page 24 – you learn how the various values are used and what dice to roll.

Character Concept Start with an idea for a character you want to play, fitting the genre of the scenario. If you need inspiration, check the sample careers on page 21. Also, add your character’s name and career on the character sheet.

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SKILLS The nine broad skills in Comae Engine represent common ways that PCs solve problems. In most RPGs, the characters fight, climb walls, search for hidden clues, persuade reluctant NPCs and so on. Each skill offers a way forward for characters in difficult situations, like a list of options. For many scenarios, these skills will be more than enough. If you need more details, you can add a Focus to one or more skills, representing deeper knowledge in a field. See the Focus chapter for more information.

Skill List Awareness. Sight, hearing, scent – anything related to the senses are collected under this skill. But also tracking and riding.. Combat. The Combat skill is used for any situations featuring physical violence: swashbuckling, bar brawls, demolitions or firing a gun. Cunning. Covers sneaking and hiding, but also typical thievery crafts, like lockpicking, pick pocketing, forgery and sleight of hand. Knowledge. This broad skill covers various knowledge-based proficiencies, like languages, research and acting Move. This skill covers all physical skills, like climbing, jumping, running, swimming and dancing. Science. Science, like Knowledge, is a broad skill, covering all natural sciences, including Medicine. Social. All social activities are collected here. If you need to tell a convincing lie or entertain at a cocktail party, this is the skill to use. Also, bribery and oratory fall under Social. Tech. The character understands how mechanical and electronic objects work and knows how to hot-wire, repair and build them. Also covers the handling of vehicles. Willpower. Any time your grit and mental resilience comes into play, Willpower is used. Examples include resisting the influence of a charismatic speaker or stay cool in frightening situations.

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SKILL VALUES When you have a good picture of what skills to choose for your character, distribute the values from one of the skill pyramids below. Start by giving your main skill the top value – either 70% or 50%, depending on if you use the Focus rules or not – then move downward. The remaining skills start at 5%.

Without Focus Rules: 70% 50% 50% 30% 30% 30% 30%

With Focus Rules: 50%* 30%* 30%* 30% 30% 30% 30%

* = When using a Focus, these three skills gain a +20% bonus.

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FOCUS By narrowing the scope of a skill, players can add a Focus, an area of exper-

tise they are particularly good at. Examples include Cunning //Lockpicking or Tech //Computers. This is an optional rule if you like more specialised characters. When using a Focus, add +20% to the skill value. If you have 50% in Awareness and add //Perception as a Focus, roll below 70% (50+20) to succeed with //Perception. Other Awareness rolls remain at 50%, however. The Game Master has the final say whether an action fits under a Focus or not, but you should always explain why you think it would work. Whenever a skill roll is called for, you can use an applicable Focus – if you have it – unless specifically stated.

Focus List »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

Awareness. Insight, Perception, Track Combat. Gunnery, Melee, Ranged, Unarmed Cunning. Gambling, Lockpicking, Sleight, Stealth Knowledge: Acting, Art & Music, Bureaucracy, Commerce, Craft, Language, Research Move. Acrobatics, Athletics, Brawn, Dancing, Ride, Swim Science. Astronomy, Chemistry, Medicine, Navigation, Survival Social. Deceit, Influence, Oratory Tech. Computers, Comms, Engineering, Mechanics, Pilot, Sensors Willpower. Person, Circle

Each Focus gets a short description on the following pages. If you don’t need that kind of detail yet, skip ahead to the chapter on Tags on page 16. Later, if you want to tailor Comae Engine to your unique setting, the Focus list is easy to expand, change or replace entirely. To recreate Watership Down by Richard Adams, you might want to add //Leadership to Social and throw out Move //Dancing, for example.

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FOCUS DESCRIPTIONS Awareness //Insight. By observing a person, you get a feeling for their true intentions, psychological makeup and emotions. Used versus //Influence or //Oratory to spot a lie. //Perception. You pick up small details that most people miss. It might be a peculiar scent or scuff marks revealing a hidden door or clue, or anything related to the four senses. //Track. Finding footprints, broken twigs and common hiding places, you can identify and follow tracks in most environments.

Combat //Gunnery. With this Focus, you can handle most artillery and cannons, stationary or mounted on vehicles. //Melee. You are trained in close combat, using swords, clubs, shields – or any other melee weapon. //Ranged. Slings, bows, crossbows, handguns, blasters – you know how to handle ranged weapons in combat. //Unarmed. Using nothing but your hands – or other body parts – you have learned how to fight efficiently.

Cunning //Gambling. With good knowledge of various games, you can take on poker, roulette and many other – and actually win. //Lockpicking. You are familiar with various lock mechanisms and know how to open them without a key. A specialised toolset is preferred but not necessary. //Slight. Using speed and a few tricks, you can pick pockets, make objects seemingly disappear and slip a card up your sleeve without anyone noticing. //Stealth. You are trained in hiding and moving without being noticed. Used versus //Perception.

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FOCUS DESCRIPTIONS Knowledge //Acting. On or off the stage, you can impersonate almost any type of character, using your voice, gestures, makeup and dress. //Art & Music. You have a knack for creating, performing and analysing pieces of art or music. //Bureaucracy. You know how to move in political circles and can maneuver labyrinthine bureaucracies without getting lost. //Commerce. Goods come in many qualities and styles, but you know how to discern the good from the bad. And what they are worth. //Craft. With your bare hands and a few tools, you create masterful everyday objects in various materials. With a good workshop, you are a true artisan. //Language. All characters start with 40% in their native language. A higher skill means you speak and write better than average. If you add a second language, it starts at 5%. //Research. You have been trained in digging out facts from archives and libraries, both old and new.

Move //Acrobatics. With full control over your body, you can jump, land and swing in ways unthinkable to most people. //Athletics. Climbing, jumping, running – you can take on regular physical challanges with bravado and endurance. //Brawn. You are physically strong and capable of lifting, throwing and breaking things. //Dancing. Aside from knowing the popular dancing styles, you also have a natural talent for moving to music. //Ride. You are a skilled rider. You also know how to take care of a riding animal, how too soothe and befriend them.

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FOCUS DESCRIPTIONS //Swim. You know how to tackle most bodies of water, regardless of weather and season. You also have basic knowledge of diving.

Science //Astronomy. With good knowledge of moons, planets, comets and stars – including the physics – you can make calculations and predictions of celestial events. //Chemistry. You are trained to identify and concoct various chemicals. With the right equipment, you can also make good use of a lab. //Medicine. You are trained in first aid, psychology and medicine. A successful roll restores 1d4 points to any Conflict Pool that is above zero, or 1 point if below. Only one try per Pool and day is allowed. //Navigation. Keeping track of directions and maps, you are skilled in the art of navigation, both on land, underground and on the seas. //Survival. With deep knowledge of the natural environment, you know how to survive for a week without any resources or outside help. This includes finding and building shelter, as well as locating water and food.

Social //Deceit. You can tell a good lie without being caught. //Influence. You have a way of persuading people, talking your way past guards and constables, or charm bar men and piccolos. //Oratory. Oratory works much the same as //Influence, but for an audience. You can make a witty speech at a wedding, inspire soldiers before a battle or sway the jury in a courtroom.

Tech //Computers. You know computer hardware and software inside out. And how to hack them. //Comms. Trained in communications equipment, you know how to use the common tech of your era – even under difficult circumstances. //Engineering. With a thorough understanding of large-scale construction,

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FOCUS DESCRIPTIONS you can judge the strength of various structures, how to build them and where the weak points are located. //Mechanics. You can tinker with mechanical and electronic equipment, like vehicles, starships and engines. //Pilot. Pilot is a wide Focus including all types of vehicles common in your era. See the rules on Sub-Focuses for any additional specialisations. //Sensors. In high-tech societies, Sensors let you to scan for heat signatures, movement, lifeforms – and anything else the technology level allows for.

Willpower Like other skills, Willpower works with Focuses – but they are applied in a slightly different way. All PCs start with two Willpower Focuses, //Person and //Circle. These represent their most important driving forces. Roll twice on the table below for inspiration (or choose two freely) and roll for a verb from the right-most column if you need a starting point. A Willpower Focus gives an extra +20% to Willpower – but only when you actually work towards the Focus. Additionally, you get an extra experience roll if you have acted according to your Willpower Focuses more often than not.

1d10

//Person

//Circle

Verb

1

Sibling

Village

Love

2

Relative

Family

Avenge

3

Child

Gang

Hide from

4

Partner

University

Hate

5

Boss

Cult

Find

6

Friend

Clan

Betray

7

Patron

Prison

Be Loyal to

8

Ward

Religion

Fear

9

Neighbour

Hospital

Compete with

10

Teacher

Business

Protect

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TAGS In addition to skills, your character also gets two Tags, reflecting advantages

they have acquired earlier in life. Check the sample careers on page 21 for typical Tag combinations, pick freely from the list or roll 1d12 for a random result.

Tag List 1. #Contact. During a scenario, you can arrange meetings with a contact to gain information and hear (or spread) rumours. The first meeting is always accepted (100% success rate). But for each following request during a scenario, the chance is halved (50%, 25%, 13% and so on). The contact might be an old friend, a former colleague, an informant, an old professor, a relative or any other acquaintance. Keep in mind that the information they have might be useless, biased or false – all depending on the scenario. 2. #High Society. You know how to dress, behave and speak in the upper classes. Without #High Society, all Social rolls are at -20% with members of the upper class. 3. #Lab. You have easy access to one or several labs – including a knowledgable assistant – where clues and specimen can be analysed without questions being asked. Similar to #Contacts, the first request for access is always granted. But for each following request, the chance is halved. 4. #Pass. You have an ID card that provides easy entrance to otherwise closed facilities. It might be a journalist pass, a police badge or something similar. It will not grant access every time or to every place however. In borderline situations, treat #Pass as +20% to Social. 5. #Streetwise. You know how to behave in criminal circles and who to ask for rumours, information or illegal wares. Without #Streetwise, all Social rolls are at -20% in criminal circles.

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TAGS 6. #Wealth. You own a sizeable house or apartment, can afford fine clothes and eats well. Optionally, you also have access to a vehicle, an ageing butler and a small plot of land. 7. #Membership. You are a member of an organisation – covert or open – that you can call upon for support. Examples include military intelligence, religious organisations, criminal networks and various scientific societies. Unfortunately, calls are not always heeded and any reactions might be quite untimely. The membership might be in the same Circle as in the Willpower Focus (see page 15). 8. #Status. You have acquired a certain status, through deeds or a position of power. For people that are aware of the status, all your Social rolls are at +20%. Examples include skilled artists, envoys of a king and well-regarded scientists. 9. #Gear. You have access to advanced or experimental equipment. For weapons, this might mean +1 to +3 extra damage. Other gear will have other (more or less subtle) updates, like speed, range, miniaturisation, cool design or experimental features. But beware of bugs. 10. #Secret Identity. You have a second identity known only to a few select people. This is often used by secret agents, criminals and vigilantes. 11. #Headquarter. You have access to a small property as a base of operations. It might be a detective’s office, a secret back room at a research facility or a hideaway in the woods. 12. #Auspicious. Fate smiles at you. You have 3 Luck Points to start with, returning to 3 every time they renew.

Creating New Tags The Game Master is free to invent new Tags or remove current ones to better suit their campaign.

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CONFLICT POOLS Conflict Pools work like hit points in many games but split into four aspects of stress.

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BODY. Represents physical stress, like wounds, exhaustion, blood loss and diseases. Both combat and strenuous activities drain the BODY Pool. INT. Intelligence is used for intellectually challenging activities, like research, investigations and puzzle solving. POW. Power comes into action to test your mental strength in stressful and frightening situations. In settings that include magic, it also rates magical affinity and resistance. CHA. Charisma is used in any social situations, when you need to persuade someone, hold an arousing speech or outwit a competitor at a fund raising party. Allocate the following four values to the Conflict Pools:

16

14

12

10

If you prefer random values, roll 2d6+6 for all four Conflict Pools.

What Size? Comae Engine lacks a size attribute and uses a catch-all BODY value instead. But in combination with skills and Focuses, you can get a good picture of how the BODY value is manifested. A high BODY paired with Move//Brawn indicates a big and strong character, while Move//Athletics points to good endurance. And with high Combat or Cunning//Stealth, the character is probably dexterous.

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LUCK POINTS Most characters start with 2 Luck Points. They represent the way heroes seem to be favoured by fate in hopeless situations. Spend 1 Luck Point to do any of the following:

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Flip the Dice. After a roll on a d100, you can flip the digits (from 73 to 37, for example). Reduce Damage. Damage from a single roll can be reduced to 1. Timely Appearance. Have a Contact appear. Look What I Found. Find a small piece of equipment. Refreshed. Restore one Conflict Pool to 1.

Luck Points are fully restored after a scenario.

Negative Luck Points Optionally, you can use negative Luck Points to keep a good story going. This allows you to push your Luck Points down to -2. If you push Luck by -1, you must turn a successful skill roll into a failure in the next scene. This restores a single negative Luck Point. In essence, you are using borrowed luck and it comes back at you with a vengeance. If you end a scenario with negative Luck Points, they are not restored to their starting value.

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CAREERS If you need inspiration for a character, check the careers below for typical

skill combinations and Tags. Whenever appropriate, a Focus is suggested as well. If no Focus is suggested, any of the skill Focuses fits with the career. When you play without Focuses, just ignore them altogether. Detective Awareness //Perception, Combat, Social //Influence Tags: #Secret ID, #Headquarter

Pilot Tech //Pilot, Willpower, Knowledge //Navigation Tags: #Auspicious and choose #Streetwise or #High Society

Doctor Science //Medicine, Awareness //Perception, Social Tags: #High Society, #Lab

Scientist Science, Awareness //Perception, Tech Tags: #Circle (Scientific Society), #Lab

Archeologist Knowledge //Research, Knowledge //History, Awareness //Perception Tags: #Contact, #Lab Criminal Combat, Cunning, Move //Athletics Tags: #Streetwise, #Contact Journalist Knowledge //Language, Knowledge //Research, Social Tags: #Contact, #Pass

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Soldier Combat, Cunning //Stealth, Move //Athletics Tags: #Circle (Military Intelligence), #Gear Dilettante Science, Social, Knowledge //Research Tags: #Contact, #Wealth

SAMPLE CHARACTER Espen Lind, Journalist Espen Lind, Journalist Espen Lind, Journalist

Skills Skills

Conflict Pools

Conflic BODY 12 t Pools Conflict Pools 12 INTBODY 16 BODY 12 INT 16 POW INT 16 10 POW 10 CHA POW 1014 CHA 14 CHA 14 Luck Points: 2 Luck Points: 2 Luck Points: 2

Awareness 50% //Perception Skills Awareness 50% //Perception Combat 30% //Perception Awareness 50% Comba t 30% Cunning Combat 30%30% Cunnin g 30% Knowledge 30% //Research Cunning 30% Knowledge 30% //Research Move 30% Knowledge Move 30% 30% //Research Pilot 5% MovePilot 30% 5% Science Pilot 5% 5% 5% Science Social5% 30% //Influence Science Social 30% //Influence Tech 5% SocialTech 30%5% //Influence Willpower 30% Tech Willpo 5% wer 30% Willpower 30%

Tags Tags

Contact Tags #Contact Pass Contact( Journalist) #Pass ( Journalist) Pass ( Journalist)

CHARACTER SHEET Blank index cards, as shown above, can be used as simple character sheets. Write down any equipment and personal notes on the back. If you crave a statelier look, print the sheet to the right on thick, matte paper and cut away excessive white areas. You can download the sheet in five different colours from www.frostbytebooks.com/comae-sheet

Character Improvement At the end of a session, all PCs get 1d4+1 to raise one skill. If you played according to your character’s Willpower Focus, add a second experience roll, raising another skill by 1d4+1. Getting a new skill requires you to forego two experience rolls. The new skill starts at 10%. Getting a new Focus requires four experience rolls, while a new Tag costs five experience rolls.

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CONFLICTS

Whenever a character attempts to do something difficult, you roll 1d100 and compare with a skill value (or Focus) to get the result. In general, a roll equal to or below the relevant skill value is successful – resulting in a successful action by the character. A roll above the skill value results in a failed attempt or that complications arise. But sometimes, you might want to add a layer of complexity to better model the situation. If an action is opposed by an NPC – pitting Perception versus Stealth when hiding, for example – this is called an Opposed Roll. When a situation has potential for high drama and excitement, you can turn it into an Extended Conflict. This means the characters involved make several skill rolls, zooming in on the conflict in greater detail. Every highest successful roll deals damage to one of the opponent’s Conflict Pools. When a Conflict Pool has dropped to zero, that character has been defeated. Extended Conflicts are used for any type of conflict, like persuasion, chasing someone, solving a puzzle, combat and so on. Here follows some more details about skill rolls, Opposed Rolls and Extended Conflicts.

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SKILL ROLLS This is the most common way to check if an action is successful. Roll equal to

or below a skill value (or Focus) to succeed. Double digits (11, 22, 33…) are called exceptional rolls. If the roll is below your skill, something exceptionally good happens. If the roll is above your skill, something exceptionally bad happens. Double zero (00) is always exceptionally bad, regardless of skill value.

Bonuses and Penalties If the Game Master deems an action to be particularly easy or difficult, the skill might get a bonus or penalty.

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Routine. No need to roll the dice. Automatic success Easy. Add +20% to the skill Normal. Use the skill as it is Hard. Reduce the skill by -20% Very Hard. Reduce the skill by -40%

OPPOSED ROLLS When a skill is met with resistance from an NPC, you use an Opposed Roll. Decide what skills fit the situation, then both participants roll. The highest successful roll wins. Common situations include:

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Haggling. Commerce vs. Commerce Persuasion. Influence vs. Influence (or Influence vs. Willpower) Hiding, Sneaking. Perception vs. Stealth

Escalate If you lose an Opposed Roll, you can always Escalate and ask the Game Master to turn it into an Extended Conflict – covered in the next few pages.

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EXTENDED CONFLICTS In more complex and dramatic situations, you can use Extended Conflicts. Here, you allow the dramatic situation to unfold in greater detail, leaving room for success and setbacks as the conflict develops. Extended Conflicts use opposed skill rolls – as described on the previous page – but several in a row. Each roll allows the winner to cause damage to one of the opponent’s Conflict Pools. The standard damage is 1d6. Under special circumstances – like using a weapon – damage can be both higher and lower. When any of the participants’ Conflict Pools reach zero, the conflict ends. Extended Conflicts are divided into rounds, where all participants make one skill roll each round. A round can be anything from a few seconds to a full day, depending on the situation. For example, combat is moving quickly and a round only lasts 5-10 seconds. But trekking across a glacier might best be measured in days. Both situations can be emulated with Extended Conflicts, but with different round lengths.

Choosing a Conflict Pool Depending on the situation, choose the Conflict Pool best suited.

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BODY for combat, stealth or physical challenges. INT for intellectual challenges like puzzles, finding hidden objects and doing research. POW for luck-based situations, willpower and magic. CHA for social interactions.

If needed, you can also combine two Conflict Pools. See some example conflicts on page 35.

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EXTENDED CONFLICTS Choosing Skills In most cases, deciding what skills to use in a conflict is easy. But sometimes it gets more complicated – often because a character lacks a certain skill or Focus. The first step is to use a similar Focus, perhaps with a penalty of -20%. If the character does not have an appropriate Focus, use a skill instead of a Focus. The Game Master might want to apply a penalty (-20% or -40%), to reflect how difficult the situation is.

Static Opponents In some situations, you might want to set up an Extended Conflict against a static opposition. Common examples would be a burglar picking a well-crafted lock or a boatsman steering a craft through a storm. Rate the opposing force using the table below. Conflict

Challenge

Easy

5

30%

Normal

10

50%

Hard

15

70%

Very Hard

20

90%

Opposition

Pool

Rating

In general, the Challenge Rating represents how difficult an obstacle is to overcome (a fierce storm, a master’s lock), while the Conflict Pool indicates how long it will take to get through.

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EXTENDED CONFLICTS The Conflict Round For any type of Extended Conflict, use the following general steps. 1. Conflict Pool. Decide what skill and Conflict Pool best fit the current situation. 2. Initiative. The character with the highest Conflict Pool acts first. The player describes what their character wants to do. Repeat for the other character(s) in falling Conflict Pool order. 3. Roll. Everyone involved rolls 1d100 against their skill. 4. Narrate. The character with the highest successful roll wins the round. The winner narrates the outcome of the roll, based on what they tried to achieve. 5. Damage. The winner rolls damage. Subtract from the losing character’s Conflict Pool. Continue with step 1-5 until all but one participant give up, surrender or flee. Any time a character’s Conflict Pool reaches zero, they are out (in most situations – see more under Damage on the following pages).

Conflict Example Saecepe dolendi dis inite nullabo ribusa volo optatem. Magnihi llenisinis est, sit porest autenit in ex explabo runtia dererum quiberum sed et, nus. Sapis rest ipiendit volorentiis eaquias ea nate quiaspidit vit, sequam, audisse quibera saperia sit quiatum dolorecture, sum vene nonemquo voloreceat ut aliquo cus et porest, quat odit asimpe es es autassuntur autet as plit endae nobis imodit quo volorrum, vello berferum velisi qui quunt. Gendaero volor sequis aut landi am non et facerunt evel id ut eumqui re perovitae. Itatur mi, conem lanis dolorumque esto et liquamus et ant autem sita sus veressim ratquiam exceatur as dolupta voluptae vit reicabo. Qui conse iscillupid ut maio modicia volupta tiossitam iderum doluptatia dita in.

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DAMAGE Lost Conflict Pool points are restored to their full value after a good night’s

sleep. But only as long as they remain above zero. When a Conflict Pool reaches zero, it means the character has given everything they had.

»» »» »» »»

Zero BODY indicates physical exhaustion and non-lethal wounds. Zero INT means the character is mentally exhausted and unable to take in more impressions or process new information. Zero POW represents a complete lack of initiative and willpower. Any connections with higher powers are barely upheld. Zero CHA means the PC has lost all self-esteem and belief in the world.

Pushing and Comae If a player wants to press on despite a Conflict Pool reaching zero, the values can be pushed down to their full negative value (almost). But at a cost. Below zero, the following effects apply:

»» »» »»

All skills are at -20%. After the conflict ends, each Conflict Pool is only restored by 1 point a day up to zero. If any Conflict Pool is reduced to its full negative value, the character enters a comae. This means the scenario might be over, or any remaining PCs might continue if everyone agrees.

Taken together, you can push on in demanding scenes – to reach a desired goal – but it comes with a cost.

End Game Depending on the type of game you want to play, characters might die or only be temporarily removed if a Conflict Pool reaches its full negative value.

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DAMAGE More Ways to Take Damage Falling. 1d6 BODY per 5 metres. 1d3 with a successful Move roll. Fire. Small (Campfire): 1d4 BODY per 5 seconds. Medium (Burning car): 1d8 BODY per 5 seconds. Large (Room on fire): 2d8 per 5 seconds. Poison. Every poison is given a Challenge Rating that a character must beat in an Opposed Roll versus Move (without any Focus), or take BODY damage.

»» »» »»

ild Poison. 6/30%. Damage 1d4 M Medium Poison. 11/50%. Damage 1d6 Strong Poison. 16/70%. Damage 1d8 Some poisons might affect the victim in other ways as well (like sleep, dizziness, vomiting, itching and so on). Crashing. 1d6 BODY per 25km/h. 1d3 with a successful Move roll. Fear. Lose 1d4 to 1d10 POW, depending on how shocking or gory the situation is. Also, make a successful Willpower roll to resist the urge to flee. Suffocation. After 1 minute without air, take 1d6 BODY per minute. At zero BODY, the character loses consciousness. Dehydration. After 12 hours without water, every additional 6 hours cause 1d4 BODY. Hunger. After 48 hours without food, every additional day causes 1d4 BODY. Strenuous Labour. After 4 hours of hard manual labour, every additional hour causes 1d4 BODY. Also, roll Willpower every hour to avoid giving up. Weapons and Armour. See page 36 for a list of weapons, their damage and how much armour protects a wearer (Armour Points).

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LENSES If you want to add more variety to Extended Conflicts, these optional rules

for Lenses provide a few extra details. With Lenses, you choose how to approach an opponent. You use the same skill, but in slightly different ways. For example, do you enter a debate in an aggressive way, or do you use caution to minimise risk? Would you prefer to climb a wall quickly or covertly when trying to avoid being detected? Lenses represent the strategy or attitude you apply and can be used in any Extend Conflict, from combat to dinner parties. In every round (almost; see more later), choose the Lens that best describes the way you approach the opponent. Check the list on the next page to see what bonus or penalty to apply.

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LENSES List of Lenses

»» Aggressive. -20% on skill. Roll damage twice, pick the higher. You go

in with everything you have, without much thought of your own protection. »» Cautious. +20% on skill, but you only deal half damage. You play it safe, doing everything you can to avoid taking damage. »» Clever. Roll skill as normal, but you only observe (and defend yourself ) this round – you deal no damage even if you win the round. In the next round, you get +20% on the skill roll (ie. you do not pick a new Lens in the following round) OR roll damage twice and pick the higher. You observe your enemy, dissecting their moves, to take advantage of any weaknesses or flaws. »» Covert. Roll Cunning instead of the main skill used in the conflict. If you lose the roll, you are at -20% in the next round. If you win the roll, apply any damage to either the main Conflict Pool or to POW. In addition, the opponent is at -20% in the next round, as your positioning is very favourable. You sneak up on your foe – literally or symbolically – to stab them in the back or put a blade to their neck. »» Flamboyant. You roll a secondary skill instead of the main skill used in the conflict. The secondary skill should reflect the type of flamboyancy you aim for (Move, for example, if you swing from a chandelier). If you lose the roll, you are at -20% in the next round. If you win the roll, apply any damage to either the opponent’s main Conflict Pool or to their CHA. In addition, the opponent is at -20% next round. You show off your brilliance by making an unnecessarily flashy move, to impress both your opponent and any bystanders. »» Quick. You make your skill roll at -20%, but is allowed a second action – but not a second attack – in the same round. It might be to change weapons (no roll needed), climb out of reach (Move), overthrow a piece of furniture (Move), hide (Cunning) and so on. You use speed to your advantage, finishing your move in half the time, leaving space for a second action.

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LENSES Adding Lenses to the Conflict Round The Conflict Round looks almost identical, with the addition of choosing a Lens in step two. 1. Conflict Pool. Decide what skill and Conflict Pool best fit the current situation. 2. Initiative & Lens. The character with the highest Conflict Pool acts first. The player describes what their character wants to do and what Lens they use. Repeat for the other character(s) in falling Pool order. 3. Roll. Everyone involved rolls 1d100 against their skill. 4. Narrate. The character with the highest successful roll wins the round. The winner narrates the outcome of the roll, based on what they tried to achieve and the Lens they choose. 5. Damage. The winner rolls damage. Subtract from the losing character’s Conflict Pool (or several characters’ Pools).

Lens Example Mike follows a mysterious NPC through a crowded outdoor antiques market, hoping for a clue to the main antagonist’s headquarters. But after a while the NPC suspects something and starts running. The GM declares that the chase now enters a conflict round. The Move skill will be used, with //Athletics as the main Focus. Mike’s PC acts first. He picks an Aggressive Lens to make use of his high Move //Athletics score – and to end the chase quickly. He describes how he tries to run and push through the crowd, ignoring the chaos and angry shouts he stirs up. The GM doesn’t pick a Lens for the NPC, as it is a low-level thug. Then, both parties roll the dice. At 42, the GM succeeds. Mike has Move //Athletics at 85%, but the Aggressive Lens gives a penalty of -20%. He rolls 68 – a failure. The GM rolls 2 BODY and Mike decides to use the Clever Lens in the next round.

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LENSES Narrative Support An important advantage of Lenses is how they offer players – including the Game Master – more narrative support in conflicts. Instead of merely using variations of “I hit them with my sword,” a Lens provides a starting point for more lively descriptions. “I swing my sword from side to side in a frenzy” (Aggressive) paints a quite different scene from “I keep my distance, observing her movements while ducking any attacks” (Clever). Combined with penalties and bonuses, a conflict is easier to visualise this way. By switching Lenses, a conflict can also move through different phases depending on how the opponent fares. A brash public speaker might start out Aggressive, but be forced by an experienced opponent to a Cautious attitude, when his CHA Pool drops precariously low.

NPCs and Lenses Most NPCs do not use Lenses, unless the Game Master decides otherwise. Low-level NPCs might not even be competent enough to think of a strategy – they simply make a plain roll, oblivious to the nuances of a skilled practitioner. High-level or recurring NPCs will often benefit from using Lenses, however.

Using Lenses for Regular Skill Rolls If you want, Lenses can be applied to regular skill rolls as well. A burglar might want to pick a lock faster than normal with the Quick Lens, for example, thereby accepting the -20% skill penalty. To make this work, ignore any exact references to damage and timing in the Lens descriptions. Both might be applicable, but used with less accuracy. So, Quick will not allow for a second roll in a round, but the action simply takes half the time compared to normal. Likewise, to use Clever the character will have to spend some time studying the situation, but probably for more than a round.

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WEAPONS AND ARMOUR Combat in Comae Engine works like any other conflict. But in combat, the tools you bring make a big difference. The values listed below are optional, but are recommended if physical violence occurs frequently in your scenarios. In essence, weapon damage replaces base conflict damage. Instead of always doing 1d6 BODY, an unarmed strike will do 1d4, while a sword will inflict 1d8, for example. Check the list below for some typical weapons. For ranged weapons, their ranges are listed as well (@50 metres, for example). Armour protects the wearer from damage. It can be anything from a medieval chainmail to a sci-fi mesh suit, but they all work by absorbing incoming damage. The amount of absorption is listed as Armour Points (AP). A single AP reduces damage by 1. Shields are uncommon these days, but are common in many historical settings. They work by simply reducing an attacker’s chance to hit.

Melee Weapons

Shields

Unarmed. 1d3 Impromptu Weapon. 1d4 Martial Arts. 1d4 Dagger. 1d4 Cudgel. 1d4 Staff. 1d4 Short Sword. 1d6 Axe. 1d6 Long Sword. 1d8

Small Shield. Lowers opponent’s Combat by -20%. Melee only Large Shield. Lowers opponent’s Combat by -20% for melee and ranged weapons

Ranged Weapons Longbow. 1d6 @ 50 metres Small Firearm. 1d6 @ 10 metres Regular Firearm. 1d8 @ 20 metres Small Blaster. 1d8 @ 20 metres Heavy Blaster. 1d10 @ 50 metres

Armour Light Armour. Leather or Synthetic. Armour Points 2 Medium Armour. Chain or Mesh. Armour Points 4 Heavy Armour. Metal Plate or Composite. Move and Awareness -20%. Armour Points 6. Bullet Proof. Composite. Armour Points 2 (6 vs. firearms)

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EXTENDED CONFLICT EXAMPLES Picking a Lock

Chase (by car)

Round Length. 5 sec Skill. Cunning Focus. //Lockpicking Conflict Pool. INT Opposition. Pick a Challenge Rating that fits the complexity and condition of the lock (page 28)

Round Length. 10 sec Skill. Tech Focus. //Pilot Conflict Pool. The average of BODY+POW

Chase (by foot) Round Length. 10 sec Skill. Move Focus. //Acrobatics //Athletics Conflict Pool. BODY

Social Conflict Round Length. 5 min Skill. Social Focus. //Influence //Oratory //Deceit Conflict Pool. CHA

Combat Round Length. 5-10 sec Skill. Combat Focus. //Melee //Ranged //Unarmed //Gunnery Conflict Pool. BODY

Sneaking

Library Use Round Length. 4 hours Skill. Knowledge Focus. //Research or the subject in question Conflict Pool. INT Opposition. Pick a Challenge Rating that fits the task (page 28)

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Round Length. 10-60 seconds Skill. Cunning Focus. //Stealth Conflict Pool. The average of BODY+POW Opposition. Awareness //Perception

Tracking Round Length. 30 minutes Skill. Awareness Focus. //Track //Perception Conflict Pool. POW

NPCs

Characters and conflicts form the basis of most storytelling. To create conflicts in roleplaying, player characters will often need NPCs as opponents. And while NPCs use mostly the same rules as PCs, Comae Engine adds a few parameters to make them tick.

Code Blocks Just like player characters, NPCs consist of skills, Conflict Pools and Tags. To give them personality and a driving force, they are also assigned a collection of Tags called Code Blocks.

A Code Block contains instructions on how a character acts and why. Like a few lines of computer code forms a program, the Code Block describes how to run a specific NPC. For example, a crime boss might be Non-empathic, driven by revenge and is newly wed. And he has a good eye for the PCs.

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NPC Code Blocks include four Tags:

»» »» »» »»

Personality. What overall personality traits characterises the NPC? Examples: Jovial, Reserved, Non-empathic. Social Disposition. What is the NPC’s attitude towards the PCs? Examples: Friendly, Malicious. Motivation. What overarching goal does the NPC strive for? Examples: Money, Faith, Logic. Recent Events. What recent event - good or bad – has befallen the NPC? Examples: Lose money, Marriage, The death of a close relative.

For inspiration and quick creation of NPCs, use the random generator on pages 40-41 to create a Code Block in just a few dice rolls. For regular stats, see below.

NPC Stats To speed up the creation process, NPCs are divided into three general levels: Common, Skilled and Master. Use the skill values listed here as starting points and adjust them to fit your needs.

Skills

Conflict Pools

Common. 50%, 30%, 30% Skilled. 70%, 50%, 50% Master. 90%, 70%, 70%

Common. 6, 6, 8, 10 Skilled. 6, 8, 10, 12 Master. 10, 12, 14, 16

Use the Conflict Pool values above as starting points and adjust them to fit your needs. Common and Skilled NPCs cannot push their Conflict Pools below zero. If you want, complement with 1 Focus for Skilled NPCs and 1-3 Focuses for Masters.

Tags Most Common NPCs do not have Tags (aside from Code Blocks), while Skilled have one. Masters might have several Tags, including some unique ones, not available to the PCs.

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NPCs Code Block Generator Roll on the tables below to set up a basic Code Block for an NPC. Personality. Roll 1d20 twice for the NPCs main personality. For classic antagonists, roll once on Personality and once on Dark Triad. 1d20

Personality

1d20

Personality

1d20

Dark Triad

1

Reserved

11

Manipulative

1-2

Self-Centred

2

Shy

12

Charming

3-4

Aggressive

3

Indifferent

13

Cheerful

5-6

Non-Empathic

4

Nervous

14

Moody

7-8

Moody

5

Stressed

15

Correct

9-10

Lying

6

Aggressive

16

Talkative

11-12

Sadistic

7

Pushy

17

Inquisitive

13-14

Scheming

8

Irritating

18

Bitter

15-16

Manipulative

9

Generous

19

Lying

17-18

Impulsive

10

Extroverted

20

Boring

19-20

Fanatic

Social Disposition. Social Disposition represents the NPC’s attitude towards the player characters. The percentage values are used as bonuses or penalties if the PC have a social conflict with the NPC. Most common people will start as Neutral towards the PCs. Depending on how their encounters develop, the value will change over time. Social Dispostion

PC Skill +/-

Affectionate

+40%

Friendly

+20%

Neutral or Indifferent

–

Unfriendly

-20%

Malicious

-40%

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NPCs Motivation. What motivates the NPC? Roll once or twice below to give the character a driving force. 1d20

Motivation

Description

1-2

Money

Money is a strong motivator both to the poor and the wealthy. But for very different reasons

3-4

Status

These individuals want to impress their friends, colleagues, neighbours or any other Circles they deem important

5-6

Order and Logic

These persons base their lives on rational thought, suppressing emotions in the long run

7-8

Enjoy Life

Drinking beer, going to the theatre, playing games, gossiping - nothing is more important to those that seek pleasure

9-10

Loiter

11-12

Altruism

All beings deserve kindness. A person with this motivation strongly believes we should all help each other.

13-14

Faith

Investing their time and soul in a deity and/or congregation. Either compassion or intolerance follows. Or both

15-16

Circle

Spending their time and energy on family, neighbours, colleagues, a book reading club, a sports team – or any other Circle in their life.

17-18

Expertise

A drive to be the best – or at least keep improving – in any skill

19-20

Health

Rest and relaxation is seen as the basis for a good life. Anything interfering with that must go. From the outside, it might look like laziness

Their goal is to stay healthy – or keep an illness from getting worse

Quick NPCs. Chuck 4d20 in a single roll to really speed up NPC creation. Read the dice from left to right, starting with Personality.

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NPCs Recent Event. What important event has occured recently to the NPC? Roll once or twice below. Odd values indicate a negative event, while even values represent a positive event. 1d20

Type

1-2

Money

3-4

Positive (Even Rolls)

Negative (Odd Rolls)

Pay raise, A hefty inheritance, Income from a crime

Bad luck in gambling, Losing a job, The victim of a crime, Making a bad business deal

Love

New love, Engagement, A new spouse

Loved one dies by accident, illness or a crime, Divorce, Broken heart

5-6

Family

Childbirth, Succesful grown-up kids, Adopting a kid

Child dies by accident, illness or crime, Family split up to find jobs, to study or to join the army, A falling out after a longtime quarrel

7-8

Health

Ailment cured, Improved medication, Successful surgery

Contracting a disease, Having an accident, Old wound returns

9-10

Friend

A new acquaintance, Return of an old friend

A friend dies by an accident, illness or crime, A falling out over money, love or differing worldviews

11-12

Enemy

Through a misunderstanding, A competitor in business, work or love

An old grudge has been ironed out

13-14

Work/ Business

A new job, Promotion, Making a good business deal

Losing a job, Being demoted, Losing a good customer, Outpaced by competitor

15-16

Success

Any recent endeavours have been successful

Nothing goes the way it should.

17-18

Talent

A newly acquired skill, Finishing education, Achieve mastery, Winning a prize

Bodily or mental limitations because of old age or illness, Customers complain, Bad reviews

19-20

Faith

Self-explanatory

Self-explanatory

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Acknowledgements First of all, I would like to thank Michael Larrimore and William Yon for their invaluable contributions to Comae Engine. I’m extremely grateful for

their patience, despite the long and convoluted path this book has taken (sorry about that). Also, Comae Engine would not have existed without the prior work of some very talented game designers. Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker modernised BRP for RuneQuest 6 and Mythras, laying much of the groundwork for this project. Also, Paolo Guccione’s early work on conflict resolution helped spark the ideas that are at the core of Comae Engine. And finally, this project had not been possible without the support of Katarina, Olle and my parents Inge and Birgitta. They have stood by me whenever my health found new ways to crush my hopes.

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TIME TO GO SOLO TREY is a solo RPG engine that offers limitless adventures with no preparations. All you need is three dice and an imagination. Use it alongside any RPG rules.

To be released in 2022

Victor Castillo Rodriguez (Order #37333602)

Victor Castillo Rodriguez (Order #37333602)