Rules - Basics

[Eanwulf]

The Basics
SIFRP is a roleplaying game, a fantasy adventure game that sees the players taking the roles of characters and exploring the world created by the Narrator (that's me). Veterans of roleplaying games will undoubtedly find many of the concepts familiar, but for the novices, a roleplaying game is a special type of game where the action unfolds in your heads and not on your computer screen, in a hand of cards, or on a board. Each game is an adventure, sort of like an act in a play or a chapter in the story, and you and your fellow gamers play the parts of the most important characters of all. In some games, you may take your own initiative and set out to explore a corner of the world, lead attacks against rival clans, or focus on improving your lands. The Narrator, who presents difficulties and challenges you, may create scenarios for you and your fellow players to overcome. The longer you play the same character, the better your character becomes, earning Experience, Glory, and Coin, all of which can be invested in your abilities'€"the things you can do in the game'€"or your clan, the heart and soul of your gaming group. Over time, the intertwined stories of your characters and their clans become a new part of the ongoing saga of Himinndyrr and the rugged lands of the Rjurik Highlands, your own particular corner of the world and the legends concerning it.

Important Terms

The following is a Glossary of helpful and otherwise important terms used in the SIFRP system.

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'¢ Ability
One of the defining game traits of a character. Abilities are measure by rank.

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'¢ Ability test (or simply test)
Using an ability to attempt an action when the outcome is in doubt. A test involves rolling a number of six-sided dice (the test dice) equal to the tested ability's rank and adding them together.

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'¢ Bonus die
A bonus die is an extra die rolled during an ability test, but then a number of low dice equal to the number of bonus dice rolled is dropped from the test before the remaining dice are added to determine the result. Bonus dice are abbreviated +#B, where # is the number of bonus dice, e.g., +3B is three bonus dice.

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'¢ Character
A player's assumed persona in the context of the game.

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'¢ Damage
Imaginary points used to track how close a character is to defeat in combat.

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'¢ Degree (of success or failure)
A measure of how successful an ability test is, beyond mere success or failure.

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'¢ Destiny Points
A measure of a character's potential, used by players during the game to influence fate and outcomes where that character is concerned.

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'¢ Dice
Randomizers used to determine the outcomes of uncertain events in the game. SIFRP uses six-sided dice, sometimes abbreviated 'œd6.'

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'¢ Difficulty
A numerical value used to measure the chances of achieving a particular outcome in a test of ability. Difficulties range from Automatic (0) to Heroic (21 and higher).

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'¢ Drawback
A character quality with a negative effect on the character, such as a disability.

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'¢ Frustration
A minor social difficulty suffered by a character to stave off influence (and therefore defeat) during an intrigue.

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'¢ Influence
Imaginary points used to track how close a character is to defeat in a social intrigue.

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'¢ Injury
A minor wound or lasting damage suffered by a character to stave off damage (and therefore defeat) in combat.

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'¢ Modifier
A bonus or penalty applies to the result of an ability test, expressed as +# or '€"#.

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'¢ Penalty die
A die subtracted from the test dice (starting with the lowest first) after any bonus dice have been discarded but before the dice are summed to determine the result. A penalty die is abbreviated '€"#D, where the # is the number of penalty dice, e.g., '€"2D is two penalty dice.

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'¢ Quality
A positive character quality, providing a particular defined game advantage.

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'¢ Rank
A measure of a character's ability, ranging from 1 (impaired) to 7 (legendary). Abilities have an average rank of 2 by default.

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'¢ Result
The value arrived at by adding up all of the test dice rolled for an ability test.

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'¢ SIFRP
An abbreviation for A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying. Refers to the game, as opposed to the Song of Ice and Fire novel series.

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'¢ Test
A roll of the dice to determine the result of an action where the outcome is in doubt. See Ability Test.

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'¢ Test die
A die that is rolled and added as part of an ability test. Test dice are abbreviated #D, where # is the number of dice (e.g., 3D is three test dice). Additional test dice are abbreviated +#D (e.g., +2D means 'œadd two test dice to the test').

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'¢ Wound
A serious, lasting injury suffered by a character to help stave off damage (and therefore defeat) in combat.

The Character

Each player controls one or more characters, sometimes called player characters or PCs. A character is your alter ego; it's the door to the world of Cerilia, your persona, avatar, or what have you. Your character has a range of abilities that grade the areas in which your character excels and those in which he could improve. Your character is more than just a set of numbers; your character should have a history, personality, goals, outlooks, ambitions, beliefs, and more. It's up to you to decide what your character looks like and how he or she behaves, for this is your character, and your satisfaction with the concept and capabilities will go a long way toward making the play experience fun.

The Dice

Like many roleplaying games, SIFRP uses dice to resolve the success or failure of dramatic actions and choices that crop up during game play. SIFRP uses 6-sided dice (also called d6), the same kind of dice you'll find in many family games, but dice are widely available just about anywhere. To play this game, I'll need at least ten six-sided dice, but having more can't hurt!

'¢ Using Dice
Rolling dice is how you determine success or failure for attempted actions in the game. As shown under tests, you roll a number of dice whenever you would do something with dramatic consequences. To keep things simple, SIFRP tracks dice in three different ways.

The number of dice you roll describes your chances of success at any given task. The ability that best describes the action you're attempting to perform determines how many dice you get to roll. When rolling dice to try something, you're said to be testing the ability or rolling an ability test. These dice are called test dice, and you add them up after rolling them.

Sometimes, you'll get to roll additional dice called bonus dice. Bonus dice are never added; instead, they improve your chances at getting a better result. You never roll bonus dice alone; rather, roll them with your test dice, and then keep the best dice equal to the amount of your test dice. Bonus dice are abbreviated with #B, with # describing how many bonus dice you get to roll.

'¢ Modifier
A modifier is a bonus or penalty applied to a test result. Modifiers are expressed as +# or '€"#, with the # telling you what to add to or subtract from your test result. Modifiers are gained as a result of situational factors, such as smoke or fog, being injured, and so on.

'¢ Random Results
Whenever the game or the rules call for a random result, you roll a number of dice called for in the situation and sum the results. The rules call for random results with #d6, The # describes how many dice you need to roll. So if you see 3d6, then roll three six-sided dice and add the results together.

[Eanwulf]

Tests & Difficulties
Whenever you attempt something with dramatic consequences or when the outcome of the action is not certain, you test your abilities. A test is a roll of the dice with the aim of exceeding the action's Difficulty. The number of dice you roll is determined by the most relevant ability, so if you try to stab a gold cloak with your sword, you'd use Fighting, or if you're trying to scale a keep's wall, test Athletics. Testing abilities is easy once you get the hang of it, but it does involve a few simple steps.

'¢ Step One: Player declares the action.

'¢ Step Two: Narrator picks the most relevant ability.

'¢ Step Three: Narrator sets the Difficulty.

'¢ Step Four: Player rolls a number of dice equal to the ability's rank.

'¢ Step Five: Player sums the dice and applies any modifiers to the result.

'¢ Step Six: Player compares the result to the Difficulty.

'¢ Step Seven: Narrator describes the outcome.

Explained Further

'¢ Step One: Player Declares the Action
Before you roll the dice, declare what it is you want to do. The Narrator determines whether the action requires a test. As a rule, if the intended action has no significant risk or no consequences for failure, there's no need for a test, though the Narrator is the final word on what requires a test and when. Actions that might require tests include, but are not limited to, fighting, climbing, jumping, recalling a bit of useful information, addressing the king, sailing a ship through inclement weather, and so on. In short, if the action's outcome isn't certain or it has dramatic consequences, it probably requires a test.

Example
"Nicole's character, Lady Renee, happens upon a pair of conspirators discussing their plans to kill her father, Lord Tybalt. Clinging to the shadows, she strains to hear their whispers."

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'¢ Step Two: The Narrator Selects the Ability
Once the Narrator decides whether a test is appropriate, determine the ability to be tested. Abilities are flexible, allowing both you and the Narrator to use a variety of methods to overcome challenges in the game. A particular action may use one ability in one set of circumstances and another in a completely different environment. For example, you might use Persuasion to bluff your way past a guard or use Status to fall back on your notoriety and standing to remove the guard from your path. Even though these are two distinct methods, the intended outcome is the same'€"getting past the guard.

Generally, the Narrator determines the ability, but you do have some say in what ability you'd like to use. Just state what you want to use and how you intend to use it, and'€"if reasonable'€"the Narrator ought to allow it. Obviously, using Language to scale a wall or stab an enemy is ridiculous, so common sense must prevail.

Example
"Since Renee eavesdrops on the conversation, the Narrator decides the relevant ability is Awareness."

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'¢ Step Three: The Narrator Sets the Difficulty
Once the ability is determined, the Narrator sets the test's Difficulty. The Difficulty describes the complexity and challenge of the action. To help assess how hard a task is, a Difficulty number has a descriptor, such as Routine for Difficulty 6, Challenging for Difficulty 9, and so on.

Example
"The Narrator considers the scene. It's dark, so Renee can't see the conspirators or their body language. They're also some distance away and whispering. The Narrator decides the Difficulty is Formidable (12)."

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'¢ Step Four: The Player Rolls the Dice
Knowing which ability to use and the Difficulty of the task, you roll a number of test dice equal to the ability. Many times, you may roll additional dice in the form of extra test dice or bonus dice.

Example
"Lady Renee has 3 in Awareness, giving her three dice off the bat. However, she also has 2B in Listening, a specialty of Awareness, giving her two bonus dice. She rolls five dice, but she only adds up the best three."

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'¢ Step Five: The Player Sums the Dice and Applies Modifiers
Once you roll the dice, sum the ones you choose to keep and add or subtract any modifiers. The total is the test result.

Example
"Nicole rolls 5 dice (three test dice and two bonus dice from her specialty) and gets a 6, 6, 5, 2, and a 1. She discards two dice (the 1 and the 2 since they count for her bonus dice) and adds up the rest, getting a 17."

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'¢ Step Six: The Player Compares the Result with the Difficulty
Now that you have a total, compare the result to the action's Difficulty. If the result equals or beats the Difficulty, you succeed. If the result is less than the Difficulty, you fail.

Example
"The test Difficulty was Formidable (12). Since Nicole beat the Difficulty with her 17, she succeeds by a significant degree."

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'¢ Step Seven: The Narrator Describes the Outcome
Once the outcome of the test is determined, the Narrator describes the results, providing any relevant consequences of success or failure.

Example
"Nicole's roll was good enough that she's able to hear most of the conversation, which the Narrator summarizes for her. Although both conspirators are careful to keep their identities concealed, Nicole now knows how they intend to go about their treachery, and with this information, she may be able to stop their nefarious plan."

Putting it All Together

After a few tests, everyone should get the hang of how the process works without having to read through the steps. Just keep the basic elements of testing in mind, and the game should flow smoothly, allowing for Narrators to call for tests without slowing game play.

[Eanwulf]

Types of Test
Rolling tests is more or less the same no matter what you're attempting. How you interpret success, however, varies with the type of test taken. SIFRP uses three standard tests for resolving actions. In all cases, you roll a number of test dice equal to the ability, plus bonus dice gained from a specialty and plus or minus any modifiers, and compare the result to the Difficulty to determine success or failure.

Basic Test

A basic test is the default test for just about every action. If the game or situation doesn't indicate another type of test, use a basic test to resolve the action.

'¢ Roll test dice equal to ability.

'¢ Roll bonus dice gained from Specialty or Assistance.

'¢ Discard a number of dice equal to the bonus dice rolled, and sum the remainder.

'¢ Add or subtract any modifiers.

'¢ Compare Result to Difficulty to determine success or failure.

Extended Basic Tests

Some actions are so involved or try to achieve so much they require multiple tests to determine success. A character climbing a steep cliff may have to test Athletics several times to reach the top, while a maester researching the lineage of a family purported to come from the Blackfyre Pretenders might need several successful Knowledge tests to find the evidence he needs. When the situation demands, the Narrator may inform you that you need two or more successful tests to complete your action. Each test covers a particular span of time. Once you achieve the required number of successes, your task is complete.

Competition Test

Competition tests occur when two characters work toward or compete for the same goal. Both characters roll tests against the same Difficulty. The character who beats the Difficulty by the greatest degree wins.

Example
"Chris and Hal are in a foot race. Both will eventually cross the finish line, but they're competing to see who crosses it first. The Narrator calls for both players to roll Automatic (0) Athletics competition tests. Chris has Athletics 3, while Hal has Athletics 2 (Run 1). Chris rolls and gets a 6, 4, and 1, for a total of 11. Hall rolls and gets a 5, 2, and a 2. He drops one of the 2s for his Bonus die, leaving him with 7. Chris wins the race."

Conflict Test

Conflicts tests are used most commonly in combat, warfare, and intrigue. A conflict test is always used to resolve anything that would function as an 'œattack.' An attack might be a swing of a sword, sneaking past a guard, or using wiles to seduce a noble; effectively, anytime you would 'œdo' something to someone else, you roll a conflict test. Unlike a basic test or competition test, where you are testing against the challenge and complexity of the action attempted, a conflict test pits your ability directly against your opponent. The Difficulty of these tests is your opponent's Defense. Generally, your opponent's Defense is equal to 4 Ã-- his rank in the ability used to oppose your attack: Awareness against Stealth, a poison's attack against Endurance, and so on. However, in the case of combat, your opponent's Defense is the sum of his ranks in several abilities. For details, see Combat.

'¢ Who Rolls?
When faced with a conflict test, it can sometimes be confusing about who rolls and who defends. Consider, for example, a character who is hiding from a guard. To determine who rolls the test, consider who the active opponent is. If the guard is actively searching for the character, who's simply standing in the shadows or in a wardrobe, it falls to the guard to roll the test. On the other hand, if a character attempts to sneak past an unobservant guard, the character rolls the Stealth test against the guard's passive Awareness.

'¢ Simultaneous Conflicts
Sometimes, opponents are 'œattacking' each other at the same time. In these cases, both characters test, and the one with the highest result wins the conflict. Going back to the hidden character and the searching guard, if the hiding character tries to sneak past an actively searching guard, both would test their respective abilities, and the victory would go to the character with the highest result. Again, combat differs slightly from this, being more detailed in terms of character actions."

Modifying Tests

Ability tests are straightforward when you're just rolling test dice equal to your ability. However, a number of ways exist to modify your chances of success, for better or worse. Circumstances, favorable or otherwise, may modify your test results.

'¢ Modifiers
A modifier is a fixed number that's either added to your test result to reflect favorable circumstances or subtracted to reflect unfavorable circumstances. Generally, modifiers are imposed to reflect a temporary condition that affects you and not the action you're attempting. Most modifiers come from assistance (see following), environmental conditions,
or injury.

'¢ Assistance
When faced with a tough Difficulty, you can call upon your allies to help you succeed. Any adjacent ally can assist you. Allies bestow a modifier
to your test result equal to one half (round down, minimum 1) their rank in the ability you're testing. Say, for example, you're climbing a wall. You're near the top, where your ally waits. To help you up, an ally with Athletics 4 assists you. When you test Athletics to climb the rest of the distance, add +2 (half your ally's rank) to your test result. Usually, no more than two people can assist at a time, but for larger tasks, the Narrator may allow additional assistance.

'¢ Taking More Time
When you have the luxury of time on your side, you can work more slowly to ensure you complete the task, which is especially useful for high Difficulty tasks that are ordinarily beyond your ability to roll with a normal test. For each additional amount of time spent preparing for the task (say an hour of research or an extra six seconds before making an Athletics test), you gain an extra test die for the purposes of resolving your test. You can't gain more than double your test dice in this way. So if you have 2 in an ability, you can't gain more than two extra test dice by taking more time.

'¢ Specialties & Bonus Dice
Specialties are areas of expertise that fall under the purview of an ability, and as such, when testing an ability in a way that relates to your specialty, you may roll a number of bonus dice that you have in the specialty. Bonus dice are never added to the result; they merely allow you to roll more dice than your ability would permit, and you keep the best dice equal to your ability's test dice. The number of bonus dice can never exceed the number of test dice rolled. So if you have 2 test dice in an ability and have a total of three bonus dice (say two from a specialty and one from a complementary ability, see following), you can still only roll four dice and keep two. Various specialties for the different abilities, and their uses, are described in Abilities & Specialities.

Example
Shane's character, Trent, has Stealth 3 (Blend In 2). When he tries to blend into a crowd, he rolls five dice and keeps the best three rolled.

'¢ Failure
A failed test simply means the attempted action doesn't work, but it usually doesn't mean you can't try again. In some situations, failure can carry greater risk, such as a failed Athletic test to climb a wall or a failed Agility test to maintain balance on a slippery surface. Any time danger is involved and you fail the test by 5 or more, you may suffer a Critical failure: additional consequences in the form of damage, injury, or some other drawback usually spelled out in the action attempted.

'¢ Injuries & Frustration
Engaging in combat and intrigue places you at risk of taking injuries or acquiring frustration. Both of these affect your ability to succeed on tests, imposing a penalty to your test result, or, in the case of wounds, take penalty dice to your dice roll. Injuries and frustration work as any other modifier and apply after you sum the test dice.

'¢ Penalty Dice
Penalty dice are uncommon drawbacks imposed by wounds or flaws. Each penalty die cancels one test die when adding up your result. You apply the Penalty after you roll and after you drop any bonus dice. Penalty dice are abbreviated, too. When you see '€"1D, it means you have one penalty die.

Example
Steve's character, Reinhart, suffers from a wound, imposing 1 penalty die on all tests. In the thick of combat, he shoots an arrow from his Longbow at a charging wildling. Steve has Marksmanship 4 (Bows 2). He rolls six dice and gets a 6, 5, 4, 4, 3, and 1. He drops the 1 and 3 for his bonus dice. He must also drop one of his 4s because of the penalty die, giving him a test result of 15.

Difficulty

Every action has a Difficulty, a number that describes how hard the action is to accomplish. If your test result equals or exceeds the Difficulty, your action succeeds. Difficulties are ranked in three-point increments, starting at 0 for automatic actions and climbing all the way up to 30 (or higher) for nearly impossible actions.

'¢ Success
When a test result equals or exceeds the Difficulty, the action is a success.
A success represents the minimum amount of work and effort needed to achieve the intended result. Such successes are often sloppy and inelegant, and while they let you achieve what you wanted, they are in no way impressive. Often, these near successes are enough, but in some cases, excellence may be required for the long-term victory.

'¢ Degrees of Success
You need only equal the test's Difficulty to get a success. Beating the test Difficulty by a significant degree, however, can produce greater results. For many tests, you complete the action or effort a bit faster or with slightly improved results. For some, such as Fighting or Marksmanship tests, you can deal additional damage with a greater degree of success.

'¢ Using Degrees of Success
Often, a Marginal success is all you need. However, the Narrator may require a success by a particular degree for an action to succeed, especially when time and quality are factors. For example, singing a dirge for the fallen son of a powerful lord may be a Challenging (9) test, but if the character wishes a private audience with the lord, he may need an Incredible success (three degrees) on the same test, effectively making it a Very Hard (19) test. Of course, not achieving the success does not bar entry to the lord; rather, it offers an expedited means that rewards the character for a great roleplaying scene.

'¢ Degrees of Failure
Normally, failing to achieve the needed test result simply means an attempted action fails to achieve the desired result. In some cases, however, the degree of failure is also important, and greater degrees can lead to more serious consequences.

There are only two degrees of failure: a Marginal failure (where the Difficulty exceeds the test result by 4 or less) and Critical failure (where the Difficulty exceeds the test result by 5 or more). Only rarely does degree of failure matter; when it does, it is specified in the game rules.

Difficulties Tables

Description	Rating	Min Rank for Success
Automatic	0	1
Easy	3	1
Routine	6	1
Challenging	9	2
Formidable	12	2
Hard	15	3
Very Hard	18	3
Heroic	21+	4

Test Result Exceeds Difficulty by	Degree of Success
0'€"4	One, Marginal success
5'€"9	Two, Great success
10'€"14	Three, Incredible success
15+	Four, Astonishing success