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Game Philosophy

I believe players should be able to play without a steep learning curve, that games should be spent more on roleplay and less thinking about mechanics, and that it is the job of the Game Master to determine when and if mechanics are needed. To that end, I created this system which I call "Intutive", in the hopes that it will allow players to jump in with no experience, and that most of what you need to do is self explanatory.

How to Play

Imagine your character, and that something has just happened that you want to do something about. Instead of looking at your character sheet, trying to find an option that would work or what dice you will need, just say what your character does. The Game Master then determines the mechanics, if needed, for you to use, and ensures you understand how it works.

Taking actions does not require rolling dice. Many actions I can tell are going to be successes or failures without needing any mechanics. If you are a very scary mage and you threaten the town watchman to get out of your way... well they get the hell away from you.

What I reserve dice rolls for are the high tension moments, where the no one knows what will happen, including me. I do not fudge rolls. If a die is pulled out, now it is the decider of the next moment.

Core Idea: Placeholder Theory

Pretend that the game world is just as complex and big and complete as the real world. Its all already there. Your characters entire geneology, rise and fall of empires, and every single person in existence. And that is even when all the game master can say that "theres a castle on that hill, and you ate at a bed and breakfast that is down the road". Because the game master is the revealer of the world, not an encyclopedia. They are the penulimate teller of the story. So, that means that, in game, the players and the game master are only possessing knowledge of the complex, complete, totally built world.

This is the illusion, and with that illusion comes entire universes.

So, later on, if the name of the bed and breakfast is figured out, the game master can say so. And then it was that way the whole time. Because your character knows more than the player can ever see. Its like scrying or something. It helps to think of it like this. You are viewing what bit you can discern of the world. And it means you can always learn more and more about the world and the character, and no one feels pressured to come up with a perfect backstory. It can be filled in as time goes on.

The role of the game master is to be the revealer, and to discern what is and what is not fitting the tone of the world, or of the story. And it allows for players to write very enjoyable backstories, which can have a lot of gaps. Gaps are a great thing, because they hint at what may come. And it allows us to focus on what we need right now to talk about the story happening NOW. And how the past relates to the present. It also allows the players to inquire later about ideas they have, about their character, or what might be in the world.

Core Idea: The Murky Mirror

credit to the Angry GM for this concept. Through a Glass Darkly: IC, OOC, and the Myth of Player-Character Separation

Principle Your character is reflecting you at the table. When you speak at the table, assume your character is speaking—unless it clearly wouldn't make sense in-world.

Guidelines

  • All your table comments count as your character's words unless obviously impossible.
  • Plan, react, or joke together—if it fits the setting, your character does too.
  • When the group learns something, act on it—skip needless pretending otherwise.

Why This Helps

  • Reduces disputes over "in-character" vs. metagaming.
  • Speeds play by assuming teammates share knowledge and act as a unit.
  • Keeps focus on storytelling rather than rules-lawyering.
  • Allows natural consequences: a slip of the tongue before a king matters—unless the GM grants a chance to clarify.

Your Role as a Player

  • Speak and act like your character, or explicitly describe what they say and do.
  • Don't split hairs about "just joking" or "out-of-character."
  • Trust the GM to warn you before a major consequence if you're about to truly mess up.

Final Point