RUN THE SESSION
When you’re running the game, you’re going to have a lot on your mind, and the consistent mechanics found within The Lens are intended to make your life a little easier. The sections that follow will help you come to grips with the fundamentals of the game, as well as how those fundamentals interact in the game’s various playspaces.
FUNDAMENTALS
| FUNDAMENTAL | DETAIL |
|---|---|
| CHALLENGE RESOLUTION | The mechanic that underscores the entire game. |
| CHALLENGE LEVELS | How to know how difficult something is to achieve. |
| SAVING THROWS | When all else fails, make your save. |
| TAGS | What’s a tag, how do you get one, and what does it do for you? |
PLAYSPACES
Playspaces define specific scenarios you can expect to encounter while your players are playing inside The Lens.
| PILLAR | DETAIL |
|---|---|
| BATTLEFIELD | Mastering the art of battlefield control, unit movements, attrition, maneuvering, formations, ambushes, and hearing the lamentation of your enemies. |
| CRAFTING | Crafting includes everything from the preparation and identification of raw materials to their use in ever more complex and impressive constructions. |
| DIPLOMACY | The battle of wits between orators at the podium bears rough similarities to the battles between knights on the field, but the weapons are very, very different, and the stakes can be much higher. |
| INVESTIGATION | There are clues to be found for mysteries both sublime and banal, and for crimes both recent and ancient. Search for them and they may lead to answers, treasure, or doom. |
| EXPLORATION | The world is huge, and much of it is not known. Exploring the wild reaches beyond the borders and the uncharted islands on the Roraing Sea can bear its own rewards, but not without risk. |
| GOVERNANCE | Sometimes it’s not enough to find new lands; sometimes you want to stay there. |
| SKIRMISH | Small group combat, of the kind that dungeon crawls are made of. |
What follows are rules for game referees, with instructions on how to get playing as fast as possible, how to get the most from the world they’ve built or adopted, and some example templates to work from if you’re looking for inspiration.