Fiction First: An Eventum Roleplay System

Fiction First allows players to focus on doing fun and creative actions in character instead of wading through rulebooks, and thus is incredibly quick and simple to learn, but has surprising depth and room for strategic play. It allows maximum freedom in a variety of different settings. It is incredibly quick and easy to learn, create a character, and play. This is because the system uses just a few key concepts in an elegant way. This page will contain all the rules you need to know to play a full campaign using Fiction First.

This page does assume you are already familiar with what a roleplaying game is, and concepts such as GMs/DMs, NPCs, PCs, etc.

Contents:


 * Conflict Resolution
 * Character Creation
 * Character Examples
 * Gaining Experience
 * Magic
 * Specific Rulings

Conflict Resolution
The gameplay flows in a simple way. It's very conversational, there is no initiative or turns. Firstly, the GM describes the scene. Then, the players describe an action they are taking. This action could be a thing their character is doing, thinking, a question for the GM, etc. Based on the action a roll may be required or it may automatically succeed. Depending on the outcome, the GM or player narrates the outcome and then another player (or possibly the same player) gets to describe their action.

Where possible, the outcomes to actions should be resolved without dice. If you are simply walking from one house to the next where there is no danger, there is no need to roll! However in important situations where the outcome is uncertain, a roll is appropriate and should be used. There are some situations where this can vary based on the character, for example a well equipped warrior may not need to roll to kill a peasant, but a drunk wizard in a fist fight might. Or a burly orc may not usually need to roll to break down a cheap wooden door, but if the task is time sensitive (for example if the party is being chased) then a roll might be appropriate.

In this system, to roll you simply roll a six sided dice (henceforth called a d6) and add +1 to the result for each advantage you have. Each side has a desired outcome, which is simply what you want to happen if you succeed. The side which rolls the highest number, wins and gets their desired outcome. In the event of a draw, both sides roll another d6 (+0) until one side rolls a higher number (repeat this in the event of another draw, until there is no draw). The side which rolls the higher number wins.

An advantage is formally written in the following format: Argument, Evidence (and optionally, "Explain"). For example, "I am better equipped than my opponent, because I have Plate armour while they only have chainmail". "I am better equipped than my opponent" is the argument, "I have Plate armour while they only have chainmail" is the evidence. You can not use the same argument multiple times, but you can use the same evidence multiple times (for example, the evidence of having a well crafted spear could be associated with the arguments or having a greater range, and being better equipped).

It's important that advantages should focus on why you are in a better spot, not why the other side is in a worse spot. There is an exception to this, which is where your opposition is not a person or creature, but is instead the environment. For example, if your desired outcome is to climb a cliff, the opposition could take the advantage of "you are tired, due to a prolonged fight recently" (note the use of the same Argument, Evidence format).

If there is ever an extended debate as to if something is an advantage or not, then it immediately becomes ineligible to be an advantage. An advantage needs to be obvious for it to count.

An desired outcome can be anything, such as killing a person, outrunning something, meeting a person, getting lucky, havinh enough money to buy something, avoiding death. The broader the desired outcome, the more likely your opposition is to find advantages for themselves. For example, take the two desired outcome of "I want to escape with the treasure" and "I want to escape unharmed". Your opposition might be able to claim an advantage as you are slowed due to your treasure, or it might prevent you having your own advantage of "I'm faster than them, because I have dropped my weapons and treasure to run".

There are always two rolls in a test, even against the environment or inanimate objects. For example, if your desired outcome is "I want to find the camp in the forest" you might be competing against the wilderness, which has an desired outcome of "The party shall get lost and find danger". The wilderness could get such advantages like "It is night time", "The forest if full of bears", "The camp is trying to hide".

Desired outcomes need to be fairly small and simple in scope. For example, "Escape from prison" should be broken down into "Lockpick the Door", "Sneak past the guards in the jail", then perhaps a period of wandering around, then potentially "Intimidate a noble", or "Break down the locked door". If there end up being too many advantages it might indicate you need to break down the desired outcome into multiple rolls.

So to summarise, the flow of a roll can be written as:
 * A player states his action
 * The GM determines that a roll is needed and who/what the opposition is (if there isn't an opposition, there isn't a need for a roll)
 * Each side clearly states their desired outcome
 * Each side clearly states their advantages (using Argument, Evidence for more complex rolls)
 * Each side rolls a d6, adding +1 per advantage
 * The side which rolls higher gets their desired outcome. If there is a draw, roll a d6 +0 until one side rolls higher.

Character Creation
A character sheet is simply a record of major things that have happened in you character's life. You simply need to fill in the following categories, bearing in mind the below notes.

Most should be written in the form of Fact, Benefit. See below for examples. It's important to note that the written benefit isn't necessarily the only benefit from the fact. It's just the main benefit, and acts a a memory point and an indisputable fact.

As for starting items, you can have any simple items which would be easy to acquire. Negotiate this with the GM. If you want something particular powerful or valuable, consider having that as your noteworthy item.

All characters need to be agreed with the GM. Under this system it's definitely possible to make someone really overpowered, so please use your intelligence and match characters to the power level that other people are at.

Race:

Childhood:

Adulthood:

Life Changing Event:

Important Relationship:

Noteworthy Item:

Personality:

Weakness:

Note: If you're GMing using this system, you can vary the this template to better fit your campaign

Character Examples
Name: Davrik the Dragonslayer

Race: I am Human, this allows me to learn quickly

Childhood: I was trained to fight by my father, this made me knowledgeable about duels

Adulthood: I served as a guard for Lord Pompous, this gave me lots of experience in duels

Life Changing Event: My father died, this made me determined to carry on his legacy and learn as much about dragons as possible

Important Relationship: Pompus Maximus, I follow his orders and in exchange he always keeps me well equipped

Personality: Reckless, this makes me brave and means if there is danger I will rush to face it.

Weakness: I will always duel if challenged

Noteworthy Item: I have my shield of the dragonslayer, this can absorb the breath of a dragon.

Name: Barry Groggers

Race: I am Human, this helps me blend in to society

Childhood: I was a thug, this gave me a strong arm and taught me to fight dirty.

Adulthood: I am a Tavern Owner, this helped me get good contacts around the city

Life Changing Event: I was caught for my crimes and shipped off to New Eventum, this made me one of the earliest members and taught me the town’s secrets

Important Relationship: John, my faithful guard who will protect me in exchange for food and shelter

Personality: Jolly, this means I can endure many hardships

Weakness: Those who I help often betray me

Noteworthy Item: My tavern, it gives me a good livelihood and good contacts.

Gaining Experience
At the end of each session, you can record one new experience (which is usually beneficial) on your character sheet. This benefit should relate to something which was achieved or significant in the session. Generally it should reflect what the player believes to be the most significant part of the session for them. Examples include:


 * I've got the favour of Bob Bobson, who is a powerful noble in Genericvill
 * I have experience fighting orcs, so I understand their battle tactics
 * I received a valuable gem, which I can trade for a significant item
 * I'm was trained in disarming, which allows me to do this competently in the heat of combat.

Death
When you die, you get to make one final roll called "Last Breath". This is a normal roll, where both sides are unmodified. The only exception to this is if the player can justify some significant unfinished business their character has, in which case they gain a +1 to their roll.

The player makes this roll in public, but the GM keeps their roll secret. The results of the roll will not be revealed until later in the session. The possible outcomes are:


 * If the player succeeds, they escape death in some luck manner. They may still be somewhat harmed and shaken by this experience (and the experience they gain that session should probably relate to their almost death)
 * If there is a tie, the player escapes death but at a great cost or sacrifice to themselves. Their experience this session should definitely relate to their death, and is likely to be harmful for them!
 * If the player fails, then they are dead.

Specific Rulings

 * You gain a +1 advantage when failure would result in your death, the "survival instinct" advantage