Fractayle: The Collision of Worlds

The Framework

Introduction

The Fractayle roleplaying system has been developed within the "The World", which is a collective term for the high magick and savage warriors of the Realms of Fantasy and the cybernetic subterfuge and inter-stellar political intrigue of the sci-fi Far World.

Just as The World is dynamic and changing so The Game is too.  Part of being Dynamic Gaming is that the games rules adapt to the group using them.  Rather than forcing a set of static rules upon those wishing to roleplay Fractayle seeks a framework within which gamers can create a well defined set of "house rules" upon which they all agree.

This has certain significant advantages for gaming groups.  For example, gaming groups that are more action orientated will develop complex combat systems, while gaming groups that are more tale orientated will focus on social interaction more and push detailed combat rules to the background.  Also, gaming groups that play in the Far World will focus on the rules for Tech more, those that play within the Realms of Wonder will develop magick, and those that play a cross genre game will mix and match the two.

No time is wasted by developing any set of rules that will not be used, as in Dynamic Gaming the details of the rules are developed during play.  This is not to say that there are no basic rules--which there are and they are called The Framework--but that the complexities for every single situation/spell/technology have not been created.

A warning should be issued, though, as Dynamic Gaming has one main disadvantage: if players are not experienced, intelligent, or dedicated to everyone having a good time and the dangerous mindset that this is "..a game to be won or lost" then the dynamic system can give rise to arguments and conflict within the gaming group.

Remember, all games--especially role-playing--are about having fun.  Just like parties, the more people having fun the better.

The Framework

The Attributes

Each character has four attributes that define the broad groups of skills, talents, knowledges, and powers that any being could have.  They are physical, mental, spirit/magick/tech, and bardic.  Note that a character will have only one of magick (if from the Realms of Wonder), tech (if from the Far World), and spirit (if from either world) and this is chosen during character creation and--under normal circumstances--cannot be changed during the game.

Bardic will be explained in detail in the page dedicated to it, as it is a lot more than just an attribute, but an integral part of the Dynamic Gaming mechanic.

Physical is the attribute governing all physical feats, be they speed, dexterity, strength, stamina or anything else covered by the use of the beings body, internally or externally in any way other than tech, magick, spiritually, or by thinking or social graces.

Mental is the attribute governing all use of knowledge, problem solving, intelligence, remembering, learning, or even social feats like charming--which might sometimes be combined with physical when, say, seducing the other sex.

Magick is the attribute taken by those from the Realms of Wonder that have the ability to control one or more of the elements (fire, earth, air, water, wood, metal, and blood...possibly even light and darkness).  Few have this gift--some without even knowing it--but all have it linked to one, a couple, or all of the elements.  As the element/s that a character's magick is linked to affects the manifestation of their magick and the method through which they might help it manifest, the choice or element is an important one.  See character creation for details upon formation of the character.

Tech is the connection of the character from the Far World to the Web and by implication his connection to everything else that is connected to the Web; computers, starships, cybernetic implants, the e-Konomy, etc.  Almost all Far Worlders have tech in varying levels, as to be born in the Far World and not fitted with a Conduit is similiar to being born blind or deaf.  Tech incorporates all technological and Web knowledge , experience, the quality of the Conduit, and the intelligence of the one using it.  Tech can be used for a wide range of checks ranging from passive rolls--to notice that the character's Conduit is being hacked--to active rolls--to hack another persons Conduit.

All those characters that don't have magick and weren't lucky enough to have a Conduit installed upon birth--they can be installed in later years, but this is very risky and expensive--have the attribute spirit.  Although a character with spirit is not able to cast spells or connect to the Web he has the advantage of the force of will that comes with being purely mortal: humans have wrought the histories of both worlds and will continue to do so.  Spirit can be used to augment any roll that is particularly difficult or strenuous, as the character's mortality and survival instinct kick in.

Note that the actual values given to these attributes are upon the formation of the character.  See character creation for more details.

Using the Attributes

At times in the story the element of randomness is important to give an edge to what might happen next.  Your character might die.  The use of dice rolls and attributes achieves this element of randomness while adding a touch of realism.

Note that any value of dice can be used (but the value should be consistently used), although a ten sided dice is advised.  The Framework has been written as if a ten sided dice is being used, thus if another type of dice is used the rules here will have to be accordingly adjusted.

When a character is attempting an action or being the subject of an action one attribute or a combination of attributes must be tested to see if the action succeeds or fails.

The method of testing an attribute is simple:

• The current Bard picks a difficulty within the range of 1 to 30 (i.e. from 1 to the the 20 points to be distributed at character creation + the number of sides of the dice being rolled).  The higher the more difficult the task.

• The character then rolls the ten sided dice and adds the relevant attribute to the roll.  Other characters might be able to add their attributes to the roll--if logically possible--and attributes might also be able to be added together for the roll--once again, if logically possible.

• If the final score is higher than the difficulty then whatever the character was attempting to do was successful.

Note that occasionally characters might compete against each other in which case there will be no difficulty level and the highest roll simply wins.

The Dynamic Rule Mechanic

As opposed Bardic, which gives the power and responsibility of telling the tale to a single character's controller the Dynamic Rule gives the power of creating, interpreting, and deciding upon a rule or rules to the group as a whole.  Bardic does not come into play here, as each person's voice carries exactly the same weight as another's.

The Dynamic Rule is simple: when a rules decision is to be made a player will propose a rule/interpretation/solution and all players will vote on it.  If the majority agrees to it then it begins to operate within that game and all future games of the group--unless otherwise decided.  If the votes are tied then the current Bard might be given a casting vote.

Note that this mechanic is easily abused and should be approached with a objective mind geared towards long-term fun.  Pushing or politicking to get a ruling that makes one or more characters ridiculously powerful or makes another one or more characters too weak will lead to players leaving the group and eventually to an unnatural end of the tale/s.  This game mechanic (& Bardic) is only for experienced gamers who understand that games do not exist to win, but to have fun with.

Using the Dynamic Rule mechanic a valuable body of weapons, spells, cybernetics, and other rules and information can be built up that can carry through game after game within the same group.  Once something has been voted into existence it can be relied upon in the future to still "exist", unless a player proposes that it is scrapped...in which case a vote will be called to see if it should be kept or discarded.

It is suggested that a scrap book of all these rules it kept, updated at the time of polling votes, and brought to each gaming session.

In this way a group will "create" their own set of rules that will be custom built towards the style of gaming that they are interested in and enjoy the most.

Fractayle is built around this central concept: the most fun for the most number of people in the group will be the incentive that provides direction to both the rules development and the course of the tale...and, in the process, create the most fun for the most number of people in the group.

Just a word of caution, try to keep new rules or interpretations simple, logical, and fair.