The Bonding Activity represents Characters spending significant amounts of time with the people who are important to them.

When a Character performs the Bonding Activity, they make an appropriate Skill Check. While in many cases it may be appropriate to make a Charisma with Social Check, this is not always necessary. The way in which Characters may Bond are many and varied.

For Example, a pair of martial artists may Bond through sparring with each other, requiring the Character make a Might with Athletics Check to represent them participating in the Activity. Romantic partners might Bond by cooking for each other, requiring one make an Focus with Creativity Check to represent them cooking a meal.

The Target of a Bonding Activity could represent a single Character (e.g. a spouse, friend etc) or it might represent a group of Characters (e.g. Family, the people of a town etc).

When a Character Succeeds in their Skill Check, their relationship with that Character will improve, and their Stress will also be reduced.

The mechanical benefits of an improved relationship is at the GMs discretion, though we recommend providing benefits which are relevant to that relationship. If no benefit can be decided upon, the GM should grant the Character with Momentum.

Failing in this Check will cause the Character to gain Stress. Repeatedly failing on a Bonding Activity will not cause the relationship to worsen: as this represents Characters spending time together. However choosing not to spend time with Characters who are important to your Character will over time cause the relationship to worsen, due to the neglect experienced by that Character.

Whether your Character passes or Fails this Check, the Bonding Activity is a good opportunity to declare a new Feeling for a Bond (i.e. the Target of the Activity).

The GM may offer Characters ways in which they may spend Credits to improve their Bonding, such as spending additional money on Activities they share, making grand romantic gestures or otherwise. When a Character does so, they will gain Advantage on their Skill Check.

Outcomes

The Investigate Activity represents Characters taking time to continue gaining more information about events in the Story. This might include conversing with contacts, staking out targets, going through records and more.

When a Character performs the Investigate Activity, they make an appropriate Skill Check.

For example, a Character listening for rumors might make a Focus with Social Check. A Character investigating records might make a Focus with Lore Check, and a Character interrogating other Characters might make a Charisma with Social Check.

The Performance of an Investigation Activity has no impact on the Check. Instead, the rules for Degrees of Success are used, where for every 5 above the DC of the Activity’s Check the Character uncovers more information.

For example, if the Activity had a DC 5 and the Result was 13, the Character would uncover 2 pieces of information relating to their investigation. Meanwhile a Result of 13 against an Activity DC of 10 would result in only 1 Piece of information.

If a Character Fails to Achieve the DC of the Check, they gain 1 Stress.

The GM may offer Characters ways in which they may spend Credits to improve their Investigation, such as spending additional money to pay informants, purchase access to more information and resources etc. When a Character does so, they will gain Advantage on the Check.

Outcomes

The Project Activity represents Characters working towards a longer term goal. This could be the building of a homestead, the crafting of a Fantastical Item, or otherwise working towards an effect which materially changes the Story.

When a Project is proposed, agree with the GM on a suitable Clock to represent the Project’s progress.

For Example, a 4 Phase Clock would represent a Project which could feasibly be completed during that Period of Downtime, meanwhile an 8 Phase Clock would almost certainly require at least two instances of Downtime, while a twelve Phase Clock may require at least three instances of Downtime.

When deciding how many Phases the Project requires, the GM should consider how much time the Period of Downtime represents and the likely amount of time the Project would take to complete.

If appropriate, multiple Player Characters may choose to contribute to the same Project to assist in it’s completion. They need not make the same Skill Checks as each other: provided the Checks they make could feasibly advance the Project the GM may choose to allow the Character to use it.

Projects do not require Credits to be advanced: it is assumed that when a Project is being worked on the Character is also putting efforts into financing the Project. However, the GM may offer Characters ways in which they may spend Credits to improve the rate at which a Project is completed, reflecting them purchasing the assistance of others, or buying additional resources for the Projects completion. When a Character does so, they will gain Advantage on their Check to progress the Project.

Outcomes

The Relaxing Activity represents when your Character is dedicating time to reducing their Stress. They could be engaged in leisurely pursuits, engaging in vices that fulfill them, or otherwise taking part in enjoyable activities.

The Check for Relaxation is always a Mind Defense Check. This represents your Character’s ability to commit to unwinding, despite the events of the Story. However, irrespective of the Outcomes, Characters will always lose at least some Stress when they take the Relaxing Activity.

The GM may offer Characters ways in which they may spend Credits to improve their Relaxation, such as spending additional money to indulge in vices, visiting spas or bath houses or engaging in enjoyable activities. When a Character does so, they will gain Advantage on their Mind Defense Check to reduce Stress.

Outcomes

The Rest Activity represents your Character dedicating time to doing as little as possible.

There is no Check required for the Rest Activity: they simply gain the benefits of a Short Rest during their downtime, giving them the opportunity to spend additional Resources on further Checks.

As per the typical rules of Short Rests: you may only gain the benefits of a Short Rest once before you must take a Long Rest.

The Training Activity represents your Character dedicating time to Training themselves. When your Character Trains, they have the opportunity to gain additional Experience.

Make a Skill Check relevant to how your Character might train.

For Example, a Spellcaster for might make a Focus with Lore Check, representing them studying and understanding esoteric Lore. A Thief meanwhile might spend time honing their craft, making a Dexterity with Trickery Check.

Training requires your Character push themselves, therefore they always gain Stress irrespective of the Outcome (a better Performance however may reduce how much Stress they gain).

The GM may offer Characters ways in which they may spend money to improve their Training, such hiring the services of an instructor, paying to gain access to training resources, attending academies etc. Doing so will grant the Character Advantage on all their Checks for the Training Activity during that period of Downtime.

Outcomes

Performing a Job is necessary for your Character to support their lifestyle during Downtime. They need only Successfully perform a Working Activity once during Downtime in order to do this.

If a Character does not Succeed at least once at the Working Activity during Downtime, they gain 4 Stress at the end of the Downtime Period. This represents your Character struggling to support their lifestyle throughout this part of the Story.

Your Character’s specific lifestyle has no specific mechanical effect: an Aristocrat fearing the loss of their way of life due to failing in their duties would be considered as stressful as a beggar struggling to earn enough to sustain themselves.

Jobs

The Job you have is important for determining how many Credits (i.e. currency) you will earn by performing the Work Activity during Downtime. See the Inventory Page for more detail regarding Credits.

The Job you have will also determine what Skill Check you should use as part of that Activity, as well as what the Salary Rating of that Job would be.

A Job’s Salary Rating is used to determine how many Credits are earned by your Character on a Successful Check in addition to them supporting their lifestyle.

The Performance of a Successful Check will provide a multiplier to your Salary Check. The Performance of a Failure meanwhile will determine how much Stress you accumulate.

Work with the GM to agree upon a suitable Job for your Character to perform during Downtime, as well as a Salary Rating appropriate to it. As the Story progresses, how often and well your Character performs the Job could lead to improvements in their Job’s Salary Rating (e.g. they are given a promotion, better paying work etc). Repeatedly failing a Job, or not performing it at all, may also at the GM’s discretion lead to you losing that Job, and needing to acquire a new Job where you start at a lower Salary Rating.

The GM may offer Characters ways in which they may spend Credits to invest in their Job, such hiring the services of others or purchasing equipment. Doing so may either provide the Character Advantage on the Check or improve their Salary Rating. Sometimes you have to spend money to earn money!

Example Jobs, typical Skill Checks and the range of Salary Ratings for those Jobs are provided below:

Outcomes