PLAYER OF GAMES

Cost: Variable
Duration: Variable
Action: Simple
Cooldown: The scene ends; or the Antagonist is victorious in the game.
This Flair allows the Antagonist to temporarily Fatebind others into a contest, which may be as simple as a riddle or as complex as a lengthy game of strategy and subtlety — all that matters is that the game has a win condition that is possible for both parties to achieve. Within the context of the game, there is nothing to prevent cheating, and most antagonists with this Flair are experts at stacking the deck (literally and metaphorically) against their opponents. The Antagonist always outlines the conditions of the game, but she may be as evasive as she likes when describing the consequences (including the fact that the game will be bound by Fate).

Games may be played out as a simple or complex action, depending on the depth of the game in question. In either case, the Storyguide will choose the appropriate dice pool for the player character (which may vary between intervals, if the action is complex), while the Antagonist rolls her Primary Pool. Antagonists with this Flair always choose a game they’re highly skilled at. Additional rolls may be required if, for example, the player wishes to cheat (assume that if the Antagonist is cheating it’s factored into their Primary Pool), or to otherwise establish some sort of advantage within the game. Such external advantages grant Enhancement. In simple contests, the objective is simply to roll the most successes. In complex contests, the Storyguide will choose an appropriate number of Milestones for both the player character and the Antagonist to pass, and characters may spend successes to cancel out the successes of their opponents.

The consequences of the game may vary, but Antagonists will usually choose a single consequence to be visited upon the loser (such as the Sphinx’s riddle, for example). This consequences must be paid for in advance by the Storyguide in Tension, wagered on the outcome, at a discounted rate of two-for-one (rounding up, minimum one). Injury Conditions wagered on the game cost 1 Tension for the first, 2 for the second, etc.

If the Antagonist wins the contest, the terms she outlined happen immediately, targeting whoever lost the game.