Establishing Scenes

Overview

Establishing the scene typically involves reading flavor text and allowing for the Lead(s) to learn about (and influence) the scene. In addition, the Leads have an opportunity to spend Flashback Points to alter the scene.

Step 1: Present Flavor Text

The flavor text – whether scripted or not – is a summary or narrative that typically describes how this scene is different from the last, alerting the Leads to new information. The flavor text also provides the Narrator with the opportunity to reveal motivation and reasoning for conflict to unfold.

Step 2: Provide Important Details

As the Narrator, you will often need to give important details to the Leads that might not otherwise be clear. This will help them make wiser decisions regarding the protagonist(s)’ choices. You should provide possible objectives and goal for the scene as well as details about characters, objects, and/or the landscape that are important for the conflict. You may also want to introduce new rules or refresh the Leads on rules that pertain to the scene or conflict.

Step 3: Permit Questions

As the Narrator, you should answer any questions about the scene that would be known to the protagonists. Sometimes Leads will ask questions with answers that the protagonists could never know. It’s up to you whether to provide this information, make them draw for the answers (perhaps using a Perception check), or refute the request altogether. It’s also recommended that you step in and facilitate the discussion if the actions they are about to take will deviate the story in a way in which it won’t be able to continue.

Step 4: Prompt Flashback Point Usage

At the Narrator’s discretion, Leads can spend Flashback Points to alter the scene before entering conflict. Leads earn Flashback Points by completing scene objectives. Players can pool their Flashback Points together to purchase more expensive Flashbacks. Once a Flashback is purchased, the Leads describe how events in the past led up to the scene change.

For example, the flavor text mentioned that the club you are trying to get into is guarded by three soldiers. By purchasing the “Small World” Flashback, you could recognize that one of the soldiers lives in your apartment building. While this might not immediately get you inside, this could reduce the difficulty to do so.