benlehman

For those of you who are not big game nerds, skip this post.

For the purposes of entering the Forge's Iron Game Designer: Fantasy contest, I just laid out an entire game design in about two days, including time out for going out dancing for two nights in a row. I am wasted. For the curious, I'm putting all the game text behind the cut. No guarantee of formatting, legibility, or playability. If any of you gamer-types feel like playtesting this thing, let me know and I'll write a better formatted playtest draft for you.

So I give you: Polaris (LONG)



To understand the nature of your fight, you must understand the world as it is now. And to understand the world as it is now, you must understand how it was before.

As it was Before:

Polaris: The Snow Drop City
Under the steady, vigilant light of the pole star, there was once a great city. Built of ice and starlight, its people lived a life of untold bliss and happiness, eating thin delicacies, toasting each other with the twinkling wine of their eternal night sky. The stars spun at their command, and in their citadels they crafted rainbow walls that cast the stars blue and red, and in those places their shadows danced with each other and the starlight. The people, in that time, did not know hunger, did not know age, and did not know fear. Their life was one of love and beauty, and pale lights shining eternal against the deepest shadow, for they were beautiful, and their music was more beautiful, and their queen was the most beautiful of all.
This glorious time was only a single night, but it might also be said to have been eternity. The people, in that age, did not measure time, for they did not yet know fear.

That Golden Rainbow: The Dawn
It was in the reign of King Polaris VII that the sightings first began. At first it was thought to be that sort of gentle madness that strikes the greatest artists, but at times it came to be understood as some sort of regular phenomenon: that subtle rose, like a star blossoming flat and wide, that dappled the horizon, subtle and perhaps easily missed. It reflected new colors -- yellow and green and gold -- inside the rainbow chambers and, because it was new, the people called it beautiful and named it dawn. It became apparent that that subtle, disappearing dawn came at regular times, and so the King, who loved it more than anything, commissioned the construction of the Calendar -- a great mechanical device for the measurement and construction of time. The thrummings, tickings, and clackings of that infernal device filled that halls of Polaris, and for the first time the people knew something that was not beautiful.
At those rare moments of dawn, the king began to hold court in the highest towers, and during those times they did not eat or sleep or even dance, but merely sat motionless and watched that steady, heavy star that suffused the sky. And, perhaps, the dawn was pleased by the king's actions (as much as such a thing could be said to be pleased), for when it came it came brighter, and longer, and soon the king was locked away from his city almost forever, watching that circling, vacant light.
The musicians that saw the dawn would only draw from it a long, hideous scream, but no one paid them any heed. Music was out of style at the court.

Polaris's Bride: The Snow Queen
There were those among the people who were not so trusting of the dawn. Polaris's bride, who was called by some the Snow Queen, was foremost among them. In the secret and darkest hallways of the people, where the malevolent light of the dawn could not reach them, they held their own shadow court, and in that shadow court they spoke of the screechings of the musicians, of the soft and continuous melting that struck the outer reaches of the city, and in that court they swore oaths by the highest star to stop the dawn's fell influence.
And it is in this manner, cowering the dark, that the order of the Star Knights was first begun. First among them was the Queen's champion -- Algol -- who wore a starlight sword even at the most formal of occasions, and it was decided that this sword should become their symbol.
It was an Order formed in the oldest tradition, and sanctified with a kiss and, it is said by some, was the root of the Mistake.

The Mistake in Time

It is spurious to consider the Mistake simply a moment in time, just as spurious as to consider the Mistake as simply the festering pillar of smoke that now lies at the pole. The Mistake identifies the People today as much as the ice, the stars, or the sun, and is as complex as any of them.

Many stories are told about the Mistake, its nature, its origins, and its history. Some say that it has always been there -- that the time of Polaris and the stars is simply a myth for children. Others say that it is not there at all -- that it is merely an illusion created by the summer sun. But most say that it was done, and that it was done by the people, and so they must take up the blame for their own destruction.

There are many stories about the Mistake, but no one among the people knows the truth. The histories, if there ever were histories, have been lost and, although the libraries list books on the subject, they are filled only with ashes and not with words.

Some stories say that, as the Queen and Algol drew closer together, they became lovers and, as whatever affection there once was between the King and his Queen melted into nothing, the King grew increasingly paranoid and, eventually, entombed himself and his highest councillors in the highest tower of the city Polaris, where they performed great and terrible rituals to the sun -- things that were not music and were not dances -- and some further speak in hushed whispers about the terrible prices that the dawn from them as it burned their blood red, prices paid in skulls, flesh, and still beating hearts.

Some say that, in a devastating assault on the King's dawn cult, the Order of the Stars struck and destroyed the foul apparatus of the Calendar, leaving only rubble where there were once its intricate gears and springs. Without that machine, the dawn worshippers did not know when their deity might return and, as the darkness wore on, they grew fearful that it would not. The King flew into a mad fit, and declared that they must sacrifice what was most precious to them that the dawn might return. In some twisted sense of altruism, he offered up the life of his Queen in service of his diabolical goal and, would it not for the timely intervention of her champion Algol, would have cut her open upon the remains of his machine. Algol and the King fought on that machine and, as their icicle blood mingled with their beloved Queen upon it, strange alchemies began to emerge.

Some say that the King learned of a certain type of crystal that might magnify the sun, and constructed a great one in his high tower above the Calendar and the city Polaris. Even as the crystal was being built, the Order of the Stars struck out at it but, as that fearsome battle ensued, the dawn rose up and was transformed by that crystal into the Sun. Terrified by that burning star, all of the People rose up as one to fight against it, but even then they and their city were destroyed by its power.

Some say that the Order of the Stars, in desperation to escape the dawn, dug into the ice, deeper even than the sewers, deeper even than the ancient and abandoned hovels of their ancestors, deep into some terrible realm of water and fire, and there they met with the demons, and led them to the city, for they feared the dawn even more than they feared hell.

Some say that the transformation of the mysterious dawn into the terrible fun is a process as natural as the transformation of sight into music, and that the politics of the time were merely the reactions of an ignorant people to an unknown phenomenon.

In truth, the answer is not known but, in the end, the city was all but destroyed and that smoky Mistake was permanently written beneath the Sentinel Star.

As it is Now:
The world now is a shattered remnant of its former glory, but still some things might be saved.

The People:
The people of Polaris are tall, thin, and beautiful. Their hair is pale silver, white, or gold, and their pale skin is so thin that you can see blue veins running through it. Their eyes are pale blue, or pale red, or sometimes, rarely, green or white. They are so beautiful that if you saw them, it would stop your heart, and so beautiful that at times they move even themselves to tears. Their speech, when they deign to use is, is like the sound of water freezing, and their anger sounds like the cracking of a glacier. Their tempers tend towards art and music, although they are capable of grand feats of combat and engineering when roused to action.
Each of the families among the People has a patron star, and they are named for that followed, in more formal occasions, by a number, which indicates not line of descent but age among those presently alive. In yet more formal occasions, a list of titles and offices will be given.

The Four Remnants:
The majority of the people live in four settlements, each spaced equadistant from each other and the Mistake. Each of these settlements is a single structure -- a great towering citadel of ice, starlight, and crystal -- and each has been rendered into a fortress by the work of the Order. The smooth and winding hallways each lead to great vistas of the open ice, the retiring rooms are befitting in silks both spider and star-woven, and the grand council chambers are homes to ceremonies so beautiful that they call up tears from within the hardest heart. But it is important to remember that each is a shadow of the former glory of Polaris, for in the times of the Capital they were merely the most remote of country neighborhoods, barely even fit to be called part of that great, single City.
The Four Remnants are named Southkeep, Southreach, Tallstar and Southplain. There are important differences between each of them (Southplain, for example, keeps the greatest surviving library of books from the previous age, and Southreach is famous for its music) but these are left for the individual explorer to discover.
There are roads between the remnants, but they are seldom used by any save the Knights Stellar.

The Mistake in Space
The Mistake, in center of the four remnants is, to most of the people, merely a blight on their beautiful sky, something to be considered in landscaping and window arrangement, for where the heart of the city Polaris once basked beneath the light of the Sentinel Star there is now a great tower of pale smoke leading up to the sky.
To the knights, of course, it represents much more than an aesthetic stain on the landscape -- it is a symbol of their greatest failure, perhaps their greatest sin, and it is also a symbol of the demons that they fight. The Mistake, and the hatred of it, is the center of the Order of the Stars. -- even more than the cities and the people that they love, even more than their star light swords and their patrons above, even more than the sun that they are sworn to fight. It is the Mistake that beckons them to Crusade, the Mistake that spawns the demons that haunt them, the Mistake that gives them a reason to exist at all.
No one has entered the Mistake and returned in any form but that of a demon, though this does not stop crusading knights from trying.

The Neighboring Families
At times, the Knights Stellar will discover other parts of the city that were left somehow intact by the Mistake. Most often, these are abandoned, although they are often left shockingly intact and may yield artifacts and lore from the Night Age. But, sometimes, they are inhabited, and this is much more dangerous for the Knight. Sometimes they people there have become isolated and feral, sometimes they have preserved their own pieces Polaris, sometimes they have been twisted into the worship of demons. Sometimes, there are no people at all, but demons living together in some twisted mockery of civilization.
But always, people are dangerous.
It is the general policy of the Knights to attempt to rehabilitate these neighborhoods and put them in contact with the remnants. But no one ever asks questions about such things.

The Demons
The demons that emerge from the Mistake take on many different forms, and to try to speak of them all is impossible in such a short space. A brief overview will have to suffice, and the intrepid explorer will have to discover the nature of these foul creatures on her own.

Those of Blood and Flesh
These most obvious of demons pour forth from the Mistake every Spring in multifarious and improbable bodies. Most are roughly in the shape of people, although there are those that resemble beasts, or spiders, or shapeless blobs of transparent flesh. Spikes of bone protrude rudely from wounds in their hides, and their teeth are long and yellowed with the marks of meat. Some demons are great monstrous creatures, but yet have muscle and bone like the people. Others are merely skeletal, or blood sculpted into a stable form by some sort of foul will. Some of the more human wear the blood-stained fineries of their prey and others, the less human, wear the skins of those that they have eaten.
These demons shape their blood into weapons, or breath poison, or tear things apart with their claws. To a one, they hunger for the flesh of the People, and will stop at nothing to get it, although some prefer to drink blood, and others to eat bones, and still others only for the beat of hearts. When they are cut, they bleed red, and hot enough to melt ice and burn flesh. Many are mindless, slavering beasts, but others are clever, and some might even be called subtle. They are not opposed to sieges, and they understand stealth, infiltration, and patience.
It is said, amongst the knights, that there are some demons that are more sly than mere warriors -- some that have mastered the art of wearing the skins of the people as disguises, and others have learned to crawl into the brains of the people and turn their thoughts and wills to the purposes of whatever lurks within the Mistake.

Those of Heart and Soul
But there are more insidious demons, which have no forms at all. Some of them are capable of taking the bodies of individuals amongst the people, whilst others are merely a feeling in the heart, a sinister cast to the light, or the bright color in a sunny rainbow. These demons easily penetrate the remnant fortresses, and manipulate the people within to their own agenda. Although the knights are often resistant to their powers, the other people are far too susceptible, and such a demon is often capable of enormous harm before it is rooted out and destroyed, if it ever is.
Such demons are difficult, though not impossible, to fight. They cannot be cut, even by the starlight swords of the knights, and they are often strong enough to overcome a simple exorcism. Fortunately, each one has a weakness but, unfortunately, each weakness is unique.
These incorporeal demons are often intelligent enough to have their own goals and purposes, and sometimes they have be turned against each other, for they are highly susceptible to each others attack. Sometimes, knights even come to an "understanding" with a Demon of the Heart, and this is often the start of the knight's corruption.

The Snow Man and the Ice Maiden
The most terrifying demons within the hoard are not giant, slavering monsters, nor are they the barely noticeable puffs of poisoned wind. The greatest among the demons are not demons at all -- they are people.
Only rarely ever sighted, the Snow Man appears to be the greatest general among the demons, and greatly respected by their kind. He is one of the people, golden-haired, and he wields a starlight sword that burns bright and hot with the fire of the sun. His blood is so cold that it has frozen into icicles that break through his skin, but for all that he is tall and strong and one of the people. He has been known, at times, to speak with knights, and though he has been driven back and defeated many times, even killed, he returns the same every summer.
The Ice Maiden is even more rarely seen. She is the epitome of beauty among the people -- thin and silver-haired, with eyes the white color of the guardian. She wanders alone the wasted landscape between the Remnants, and is most often seen from a distance, singing melancholy songs that can only be heard by the saddest of souls. Snow falls from her breath, and her kiss turns the most loving heart to ice.
Some among the knights say that the Snow Man and the Ice Maiden are Polaris's Queen and her champion, Algol, turned by the Mistake's cruel irony into servants of the Sun. If you listen to the stories, this makes sense. But the truth is not that simple.
The Snow Man and the Ice Maiden are every knight that has ever, frustrated and angry, cast lots against the people, every knight who has ever despaired of his people's faith, every knight who has ever turned to the demons with a corrupt and blackened heart. The Snow Man and the Ice Maiden are terrible because they are mighty, yes, but they are all the more terrible because they are the future of every knight who does not perish in battle against them. They are most terrible because, with one look into their eyes, you know that once, a forgotten age ago, they meant well.
(Optional Rule: Any encounter with the Snow Man or the Ice Maiden automatically invokes the "Knight of the Order of the Stars" trait as a demonic invocation.)

That Thorny Road of Honor -- The Life of a Knight
The life of a knight is difficult, but it follows a predictable pattern throughout the year.

What the Dawn Sees -- Spring
The coming of spring brings that ancient dawn spinning to the horizon, and the people of the remnants, captivated by its beauty, do nothing but stare out of their lovingly crafted "dawn windows" and watch the golden fire burn the sky. During this time, the remnants are eerily quiet, and no people are about. The only things that move are Knights and Demons.
For, over the winter, the pillar of smoke around the Mistake has grown, and now it belches forth great hordes of demons, rampaging towards the remnants, hungry from their long hibernation. The demons know that, at this time, the people are paralyzed, and so -- rested from the winter -- they invade, slaking themselves on the people's blood and flesh, often slaughtering them as they defenselessly stare out at the dawn's harsh and golden beauty, unaware or simply uncaring of their doom.
This is the time of year that the Order bands together, for all hands are needed for defense of the remnants. They establish siege lines, lay traps against the horde, and do their best to fight against the invasion. This is also, ironically, the time where they function most as a group, and they time where they learn each other's news and experiences. In the dawn, deaths are tallied, dirges sung, and heroes are congratulated, even as the siege is held against the mistaken.
As the years wear on, the Springs are getter shorter. Some knights are grateful for the reprieve, whereas others worry about what this might imply.

What the Sun Sees -- Summer
As the that burning star the people call the Sun leaves the horizon, some of the people begin to stir from their trances, the demon hoards retreat for a time, and the remnants return to some semblance of society. The people, so caught up in the golden light of the sun, remember nothing of the atrocities that the dawn brought (no matter if the knights remind them or not), and devote their time to the crafting of rainbow rooms to trap the sunlight and sculpt it into gaudy colors. Some of them -- the more motivated -- put on great feasts and balls to commemorate the sun's return. Ostensibly, these are in remembrance of the Mistake, but in all but name they are a celebration of that burning, violent, bloated star. As the sun works higher in the sky, the people hold sumptuous feasts, and clad themselves in red and yellow spider-silks. Courtships begin, and maidens hold the starlight from their suitors in crystal necklaces. At this time, music is played, for the screaming howls that the sun sings to musicians are no longer considered foul.
For the Order, this is a time of travel and questing. The stragglers of the demons armies that were defeated in the spring roam the wastes between the remnants, and the knights sally forth to fight the mistaken and re-establish trade and communication between the remnants. The shifting of the ice during the winter changes the terrain in the wastes, so each Summer maps must be drawn anew, and each summer the terrain is once more unexplored.
In this time, the knights often come to mysterious ruins, and are reunited with friends and acquaintances in other remnants. Demonic attacks are largely limited to demons of heart and soul, who will use this social season to corrupt and feed on the unsuspecting people.
Each year, the sun rises higher in the sky. It is said by those who are too fond of prophecy that one summer, it shall raise to zenith, and eclipse the pole star, and in that year the people shall finally be overrun. This year, if it ever comes, will be a while yet, and for now, even at the height of midsummer, the sun is only two handspans off the horizon.

What the Smoke Sees -- Autumn
As summer draws to a close, the people of the remnants become listless and unpleasant to each other for, though they shall not speak of it, they are anticipating the orange fire of the the accursed screaming star as it sinks once more from their sight. "The Song of the Return of the Stars" is played on lightpipes and echoes through the halls of Southreach.
As the sun touches the horizon, the people gather in great conference chambers in the heart of the remnants, windowed on all sides, and watch the slow twirling descent of the demon eye. At this time, disputes are settled in the new manner -- whosever's star first appears in the sky has the victory. After such disputes, hand-fastings are held for lovers and, as the sunset wears on, couples often retire to their personal chambers (although they prefer to watch the beauty of the sunset to any physical pleasure.)
The demons, meanwhile, have been beaten back, and for the knights this is the season of crusade. The knights march on the great, cold, evaporating smoke of the Mistake, rounding up the final scraps of the demonic hoard and driving them back from whence they came. It is at this time that the most zealous of knights will charge into the Mistake itself, bringing the fight to the demons, and be honored in song by his compatriots.
This charge, and especially the return from it, is a somber time for knights, for each time, there are less of them, and each time, the Mistake is closer.

What the Moon Sees -- Winter
As winter comes, the cold is too chilling for travel, and the knights return to their remnants.
Among the people, winter is considered the proper time for affairs of state and politics, and the elders and most titled among them make pronouncements for the coming year. At this time, the knights often appeal for more resources and, almost always, are roundly rejected in favor of development of music and the arts, usually on the grounds that any threat from supposed "mistaken" has not been sufficiently proven. In the lower hallways, where the politics is truly played out, alliances are made and broken, deals are made, and people manipulated. Winter is the time when the people are most ruthless towards each other, and assaults and even murders are not unheard of. Knights, as de facto policemen, are often called in to handle such cases.
In a few forgotten rooms, off in ancient spires, a few of the people given to ancient and traditional ways still dance, quietly, with the stars, and sing their gentle songs, but they will not speak of it for the shame of their conservatism.
And outside, underneath the fickle and strange light of that moon that marks where the sun was torn from the sky, the Mistake grows larger, and within it, the demons sleep.

Description of Attributes--
Player characters are described by nine (of twelve) attributes, which are rated from 1-8, and are inter-related to each other in delicate ways. There is no "average" attribute, because these attributes are only used to describe Knights, player character knights at that, and every one of those is an individual. They are:

Ice: The character's Ice score represents her role as a member of the people in both soul and society.

Snow: Related to the Ice attribute, Snow determines the power of the character's role in society, and ability to manipulate the formal and decadent culture of the people.

Glacier: Also related to Ice, Glacier represents the character's bedrock -- the hard Ice beneath her exterior, if you will -- and fuels the character's passions, personal relationships, and drives.

Light: The character's Light score represents the character's intelligence, cleverness, and aptitude.

Star: Related to the Light attribute, Star reflects the strength of the blessings that the Stars have bestowed upon the character, especially in terms of artifacts and their use.

Dawn: Dawn, also related to Light, represents the character's initiative, cleverness, creativity, and ingenuity, her ability to think outside of the strict structures of remnant society, and her aptitude with training.

Weariness: Derived from Ice and Light, Weariness measures the amount that a Veteran character has been corrupted by his fight against the demons and frustrated by the ennui of his people.

Melt: Derived from Weariness, Snow, and Glacier, this attribute measures the degree to which demons can manipulate the Veteran's identity.

Dimness: Derived from Weariness, Star, and Dawn, this attribute measures the Veteran's age, old war wounds, and failing link to the stars.

Zeal: Derived from Ice and Light, this attribute measures the Novice's faith, verve, and hatred of their demonic enemies.

Freeze: Derived from Zeal, Snow, and Glacier, Freeze measures the hidden reserves of the Novice that come to bear in social situations.

Flicker: Derived from Zeal, Star and Dawn, Flicker measures the ability of the Novice to come up with unexpected plans, learn new things, and the miracles that the stars have not yet bestowed upon him.

Player Character Creation:

Every player character in "Polaris" is a Knight Stellar -- a member of the Knights of the Order of the Stars, sworn to combat the mistaken and the sun. They are a diverse and melancholy group, and each is called to serve in a different way.
When creating a character, it is important to keep in mind that the character has a life, a history, and purpose that extends beyond the numbers on the sheet, whilst including them, and that the purpose of play is, largely to discover this character.
Character creation is done in a few easy steps. No more math is required than single-digit addition and subtraction.

0) Name the Character
This is easy. Pick a star (not Polaris or Algol, unless you really want to). This is your character's name, and also your character's patron star. If you like, you can put a number after it. Anyone with the same star's name is a considered a relative of yours, even if you aren't related by blood.
(An interesting campaign might be played with all the characters being of the same star's lineage, with varying number.)

1) Decide Character Experience:
There are two classifications of Knights: Veterans and Novices. You may only be one or the other. In play, novices will become veterans, and veterans will only become corrupted shells of their former selves, or corpses.
Veterans are older, more experienced, but also worn down by their struggle. They succumb to ennui and depression more easily than novices, and are gradually being corrupted by their demonic world.
Novices are new to the order, and not particularly powerful, but their enthusiasm and zeal drive the Order. They are less able than veterans, but also more willing to fight.
Choose one. This is an important decision.
A good PC group could have a mix of Veterans and Novices, bringing in new Novices as the Veterans die or are turned. Another interesting group could be a group of novices who were initiated together.

If you chose a veteran, proceed in this order:
2a) Set scores Ice and Light, with total at least equal to 9.
2b) Calculate Weariness = Ice + Light - 8
3a) If you like, raise one of your Ice subattributes (Snow or Glacier) higher than your Ice. The other one is equal to your Ice.
3b) Calculate Thaw: Weariness plus however much you raised the higher of Snow or Glacier.
4a) If you like, raise one of your Light subattributes (Star or Dawn) higher than your Light. The other one is equal to your Light.
4b) Calculate Thaw: Weariness plus however much you raised the higher of Star or Dawn.
5) Choose Traits -- 2 in each category + Automatic Traits + (Weariness) extra, all selected right now.

Novice
2a) Set scores Ice and Light, with total at most equal to 8.
2b) Calculate Zeal = 9 - (Ice + Light)
3a) If you like, decrease one of your Ice subattributes (Snow or Glacier) lower than your Ice. The other one is equal to your Ice.
3b) Calculate Freeze: Zeal plus however much you decreased the lower of Snow or Glacier.
4a) If you like, decrease one of your Light subattributes (Star or Dawn) lower than your Light. The other one is equal to your Light.
4b) Calculate Flicker: Zeal plus however much you decreased the lower of Star or Dawn.
5) Choose traits -- 2 in each category + Automatic Traits, with the option not to assign (Zeal) traits.

6) Now is a time that you can, if you choose, define a few things extra about your character. Here are some questions which could be useful to think about, although remember that this can all be defined during play, as well.
1) How was your character called to serve the Stars?
1a) Did you change your patron star (and thus your name) upon the call? How did your family react? What was your old name?
1b) Were any of your titles (snow traits) officially stripped in response to your ignominious career?
1c) Did you decide to become a knight, were you called mystically, were you forced by circumstance, or something else entirely?
2) What remnant are you from?
2a) Do you still live there? Why or why not?
2b) What is the best thing about that remnant? The worst?
3) What do you look like? Of course your are beautiful, but how beautiful?
4) Do you have a wife, husband, or lover? Are they a knight as well? How do they think about your knighthood?


On Traits:
For each character, each of the four sub-attributes (Snow, Glacier, Star and Dawn) has at least one, usually more traits associated with it. Traits are not necessarily descriptions of how that attribute manifests in the knight, although they can be, but rather they are ways in which that attribute may be brought to bear on a conflict, for good or ill.
The traits under different attributes describe different things:

Snow: Snow traits are [i]Offices[/i], appointments and roles within the social order of the people.

Glacier: Glacier traits are [i]Passions[/i], the driving forces behind the knight's questing. These can be goals, relationships with people, or even a relationship with a demon.

Star: Star traits are [i]Blessings[/i], the mysterious artifacts that the stars have seen fit to bestow upon you, and the ability to use them.

Dawn: Dawn traits are [i]Techniques[/i], personal abilities and strategems that are of use to the knight.

Automatic Traits:
All knights have a specific set of automatic traits -- one Office and Technique and two Blessings and Passions. Every knight has these traits. See trait descriptions, later, for details.

Office: Knight of the Order of the Stars.
Passion: Relationship (any other PC).
Passion: Relationship (any NPC relative of yours)
Blessing: Starlight Sword
Blessing: Breathsuit
Technique: Lore (Demons)

Additional Traits:
Every PC gets to select additional traits. How these are selected and how many are selected depends on whether the character is a Veteran or a Novice.

Veterans select two additional traits in each category, as well as extra traits equal to their Weariness score, from any category. All of their traits are defined at the start of play, and may not be changed (although new traits can be added through experience.)

Novices may select up to two traits in each category, but may opt not to select a number of traits equal to their Zeal. These extra traits may be selected at any time between the character's scenes, although for certain traits (offices and blessings) the trait may not "kick in" until the scene allows for it (for instance, if the novice wants to gain the Office "Keeper of the Left-Hand Museum," they would need to frame a scene in which they were appointed before using the trait.) Once selected, these traits may not be changed. When a Novice adds a trait through experience, she may wait to add it in this way.

Example Traits:
Traits can come in any forms and sizes, but here are some thoughts on traits that you might take. Traits are primarily described by their Heroic and Demonic invocations. The Heroic Invocation describes when the trait can be used to aid the knight, and the Demonic Invocation describes when it can be used to hurt him.

These are merely a few example traits offered for your consumption. From these bases, you can construct your own traits. Automatic traits are listed first, and marked with a (*)

Example Offices:

Knight of the Order of the Stars *
Description: The character is a Knight Stellar.
Heroic Invocation: Like all offices, this trait is most often invoked when using the office to some social effect -- here, it could be used in an investigation, or when rallying to people to a defense against the mistaken.
Demonic Invocation: The Knights have a bad reputation and, further, a doom lays heavy upon them. When either of these come up, this trait may be invoked demonically.

Matriarch of Yildun
Description: The Yildun are a numerous clan, particular influential in the Southreach orchestra, and you are their senior member, due great respect and appreciation. Your name is Markab I.
Heroic Invocation: Using the support of your family, ordering family members around, taking care of family business, using the prestige of your family name to your advantage.
Demonic Invocation: You are betrayed by a family member, you have to deal with your family's bad reputation, you have to take care of an irresponsible family member.

Sole Heir of Kaus Borealis
Description: You are the only Kaus Borealis left living, the sole heir of the ancient heritage of royal philosophers. Your name is Kaus Borealis, and you do not list a number.
Heroic Invocation: Calling upon the strength of your ancestors, reciting your lineage to impress others with your ability, recalling bits of family history.
Demonic Invocation: You are alone, without kin in the world, and your solitude is turned against you. Someone brings up a mad relative in conversation. Someone mentions that Kaus Borealis was involved in the construction of the First Calendar.

Keeper of the Left-Hand Museum
Description: You are, at least in theory, charged with the care and keeping of the priceless artifacts housed within the Left-Hand Museum at Tallstar remnant.
Heroic Invocation: Use the mysterious lore of those Dark Age artifacts. Grant or take away access to the Museum. Any conflict that occurs within the Museum. Leverage your position for political favor.
Demonic Invocation: Your duties distract you. Someone mentions that no one goes to museums in these modern times, anyway. Your underlings are stealing items and replacing them with fakes.

Example Passions: Passions are slightly different than Offices. They come in a few major types (Relationship, Drive, Destiny, Moral) which are then described in more detail.

Relationship with Rischia, Maiden of the Midmost Hall
Description: Rischia, hailed in song and poetry as the greatest beauty of the Sun Age, has had suitors travel two remnants and gift her with priceless rubies merely for the privilege of a moment in her sight. But she cares not for these suitors, wealthy and powerful and handsome as they may be, for she already has found her true love -- you, a common knight. But, although you know she is beautiful and kind, you cannot find it within yourself to love her back, and so your romance lingers, unspoken and rotting, between the two of you.
Heroic Invocation: Rischia is involved in the conflict -- either she is in danger, or is fighting you, fighting alongside you, or is in some other manner sums up what is at stake.
Demonic Invocation: As Heroic Invocation.

Relationship with Asmidike VI, Your Father.
Description: Your father was a knight. Though you never saw him, and only heard tell of his exploits from others in the Order, you always imagined that he was the greatest among the champions and, even as your mother disparaged the Stellars, you came to love them even more through the absent image of your father.
Heroic Invocation: Your father is involved in the conflict -- either he is in danger, or is fighting you, fighting alongside you, or in some other manner sums up what is at stake.
Demonic Invocation: As Heroic Invocation.

Drive to Become The Greatest Knight
Description: It is not enough to be a great warrior, defending your people from the Mistake, and sacrificing yourself for the good of the whole. You must be the best knight, at whatever cost.
Heroic Invocation: When your abilities as a knight come into question, when you come into conflict with other knights, someone challenges your reputation.
Demonic Invocation: Your single-minded devotion to perfection gets in the way of what is really at stake.
Special: (If a drive is "finished" or rendered impossible, it may be replaced by another drive at the next Advance.)

Destiny to Wield The Polaris Sword
Description: The Polaris Sword was crafted by the Sentinel Star as a gift for that ancient royal line. Brilliant blue and long as two men, it is a thing of legend and myth. It has been foretold that you will find the sword, and that you will wield it against the Snow Man in great battle within the Mistake.
Heroic Invocation: The situation draws you closer to finding the Polaris Sword, you are wielding the Polaris Sword, others recognize your great destiny and respect you for it.
Demonic Invocation: Your destiny draws you through misery and tragedy to reach its end.
Special: (If a destiny is "fulfilled" or rendered impossible, it may be replaced by another destiny at the next Advance.)

Moral: Never Accept Charity
Description: Whether you have sworn it to yourself or not, you will not accept the assistance of others when you need it most.
Heroic Invocation: You struggle through and succeed on your own, your independence grants you respect, you avoid a trapped present.
Demonic Invocation: Your pride gets the better of you, you gravely insult someone by turning them down, you turn down support that you really need.

Example Blessings: Blessings are all gifts of stars -- strange artifacts with mysterious powers. Those gifted with them intuitively understand how to use them, but others may not (unless they, also, have the trait.)

Starlight Sword *
Description: A shimmering, transparent sword of starlight appears in your hand whenever you need it (faintly colored red, blue or white). It is perfectly sharp, and sings slightly as it moves. (Some knights keep their swords hung at their belts, rather than having them appear.)
Heroic Invocation: You are fighting something in melee combat, need to cut something, or some other use of a sword.
Demonic Invocation: The demon you are fighting is immune to your sword, you accidentally hurt a companion with your sword.

Breathsuit *
Description: A thin, covering jumpsuit with a heavy visor and breathing mask.
Heroic Invocation: You need to breath in a hostile environment, you need protection against the elements.
Demonic Invocation: The breathsuit has a leak. The ugly image of the mask frightens a would-be ally.

Greater Starlight Weapon:
Description: Your starlight weapon takes the form of a larger sword, or some other sort of weapon, or is a missile weapon, or is bolts of starlight that you throw from your hands.
Heroic Invocation: As Starlight Sword.
Demonic Invocation: As Starlight Sword.

Eternal Breathsuit:
Description: Your breathsuit has some sort of food and water supply that allows you to survive forever in it, and is also so heavily insulated that it allows you to approach the Mistake without ever feeling cold.
Heroic Invocation: As Breathsuit, or you need to survive for a long time without food.
Demonic Invocation: As Breathsuit, or the taste of other food has become dry and dull to you.

The Call of Home:
Description: A tiny contraption of gem and metal, it contains a tiny star that helps the Knight navigate the treacherous waste.
Heroic Invocation: You need to find something in the wilderness, you need to keep up hope.
Demonic Invocation: The star points you towards the Mistake.

Memory Crystal:
Description: Beginning as a clear crystal, it gradually turns blue and red as information is stored in it. It can return the information as text, images (both flat and spatial), or even as a dull, flat speech.
Heroic Invocation: Use the crystal to recall something important. Use the crystal as a trick.
Demonic Invocation: The crystal contains foul things. The crystal contains incriminating information about you. The crystal lies.


Techniques: Techniques, like Passions, come in discrete types -- Lore, Tricks and Abilities.

Lore: Demons *
Description: You have learned from the Knights about the nature and types of demons, and how to fight them.
Heroic Invocation: You recall something about a demonic weakness, and exploit it. Your use your lore to diagnose a demonic possession, or perform an exorcism.
Demonic Invocation: Your lore is incorrect, Demons use your knowledge to manipulate you.

Trick: Strike from the Shadows
Description: You attack from hiding, allowing yourself more time to study your opponent, and so striking more effectively.
Heroic Invocation: You are fighting someone, and can use the trick.
Demonic Invocation: Someone else strikes you from the shadows, your target sees you coming.

Ability: Musician
Description: You are a musician of no mean skill.
Heroic Invocation: The sound of the stars gives you some warning. You play music to impress people. The pure sound of your star-music drives back a demon.
Demonic Invocation: You are overwhelmed by the screaming of the sun. You must stop to play a song, and are distracted from your task. Your playing ability proves unworthy to the composition that you have chosen to perform.


How to Play--

Characters and Players (no character is an island)--

Although Polaris can be played in the normal "One GM and n players, where n is hopefully an integer" mode, this is not the default mode for playing Polaris. Rather, the default mode is that each character has at least four players, each of which play different parts in developing the character's story. It is expected that each player will take on a different role for each character. Ideally, there should be one character for each player in the group, although this is by no means necessary.

Each character has the following types of players:

Heart: The Heart player controls the character in first-person, actor-style play -- they describe the character's actions, frame the conflicts in which the character is active, activates Heroic traits, and role-plays the character in conversations. This is the conventional "player" of the standard RPG.

Snow Man / Frost Maiden: This player sits opposite the Heart, and reflects the demonic forces that surround the character, and the character's ultimate corrupt destiny. The Snow Man engineers overarching "plot" and conflicts for the character, plays adversarial demons, activates Demonic traits, keeps secrets, possibly also provides scene framing and narration. This role is called "Snow Man" if the Heart player is male, "Frost Maiden" if the Heart player is female.

The New Moon: The New Moon sits to the left of the Heart, and plays all female people that interact with the heart, gives emotional advice and commentary, and also advises the Frost Maiden on big-picture conflict development so that contradictory developments do not occur (remember that some other player is orchestrating conflict for this Frost Maiden's "Heart" character.)

The Full Moon: The Full Moon sits to the right of the Heart, and plays all male people that interact with the heart, gives rational advice and commentary, and also advises the Snow Man on big-picture conflict development so that contradictory developments do not occur (remember that some other player is orchestrating conflict for this Snow Man's "Heart" character.)

The Others: Other players, if there are any, may be called upon to play additional NPC roles, and possibly bring in their own Heart characters.

Scene Framing and Scenes --

Whenever a scene has not started, any player may start a scene. Some groups like to keep a strict scene rotation (so everyone gets a turn) and some like to leap free form from one story to the next. Either way is fine, but talk about it with your group beforehand.

To announce that you are framing a scene, simply say "and so it began..." and begin to describe the situation. You will want to work the Knight's name into your narration quickly, so people can figure it out and assume their roles, but it should be pretty easy to tell from context. The scene should logically figure in to whatever was happening before.

Who has the authority to start a scene? The knight's Frost Maiden or Heart may start a scene. If both sides want to start a scene, preference goes to the knight's Frost Maiden if the knight is a veteran, or the knight's Heart if the knight is a novice.

Scenes continue in free play, with the Heart describing the actions of the knight, the Full and New moons (and others, if necessary) taking on secondary NPC parts, and the Snow Man playing the demon and describing the scenery, until the knight enters a conflict of some kind. After that, enter the conflict resolution system. There is a minimum of one conflict per scene -- if a second one starts, you must cut to a new scene and deal with it later.

Either the Heart or the Snow Man may end the scene at any time by simply saying "...and so it was," although it may be considered polite to allow "last words" from NPCs. At this point, either take a break or start a new scene.


Conflict Resolution:
Knights may come into conflict over any number of things. Perhaps the simplest example would be a fight with a demon, but this conflict resolution system is also used for social manipulation, political debates, philosophical arguments, romantic rivalry (or even romantic interludes), and many other things. Conflict resolution in Polaris appears, at first glance, to be somewhat complicated, but with practice it should become rather intuitive to the players. It can be divided into these simply steps:

1a) Declare Conflict
1b) Discuss Outcomes and Situation
1c) Offer Support
2a) Identify Base Attribute
2b) Invoke Traits
2c) Justify Traits
2d) Exhaust Traits
2e) Establish Stakes
3a) Count Final Attribute Value
3b) Roll Dice
3c) What about Support?
4a) Who Narrates?
4b) What the Moon Saw

1a) Declare Conflict
At any time during a scene, the Knight's Heart or Snow Man may declare that this situation as become a conflict. At times, it is obvious that there is a conflict -- if the Snow Man narrates that "A man leaps out of the shadows with a knife," there will obviously be a conflict. At other times, especially when the two sides are not entirely opposed, the conflict will be more subtle, and thus easily missed. If you declare a conflict, and the other players are uncertain, take the time to explain the situation to them, and why you see it as a conflict.

1b) Discuss Outcomes and Situation
Before diving into the trait bidding, you will want to take the time to discuss the conflict at hand. While no one is guaranteed that their goals will be accomplished -- even if they "win the conflict" -- this is a good time to discuss what each side is trying to get out of the conflict, how they might be attempting it, and what they're willing to do to get it. At this point, it may become apparent that there is no real conflict between the two sides, in which case you should skip the rest of the conflict system resume normal play. Likewise, if all the players think that a certain result is the most entertaining, skip the remainder of the conflict system and have that result take place.

1c) Offer Support
If an NPC who is not controlled by the Snow Man is crucial to the conflict, the Full or New Moon (whoever plays the NPC) may opt to offer support to either the Snow Man or the Heart, which they are free to accept or decline. If support is declined, the Moon cannot offer it to the other side -- they may only make one offer. Likewise, you can only benefit from two offers of support during a single conflict, although such a situation would most certainly be rare.
Support is not intended to be central to every challenge, and thus should be reserved for times when the NPC is quite important to the situation.
Support will be important later, when it comes to rolling dice and narrating results.

2a) Identify Base Attribute
The Base Attribute for a conflict is either Ice or Light, depending on circumstances. If the Heart declared the conflict, the base attribute is Light. If the Frost Maiden declared the conflict, the base attribute is Ice.
In situations where conflict declaration was simultaneous or unclear, use Light when the Knight is being offensive and initiated the situation, and use Ice when the Knight is being largely defensive and reacting to the situation.

2b) Bid Traits
The Heart or the Frost Maiden may "bid" one of the knight's traits in order to change the Base Attribute to the attribute of that trait. For example, bidding a lightsword changes the base attribute to Star.
After one bid, the other side may choose to counter that bid with a trait that changes the conflict to a different attribute, if they wish. This continues, back and forth, until both sides decide that they will not bid any more traits, with the following rules:
Traits must apply, somehow, to the conflict (see Justifying Traits, below)
No one side may bid the same trait more than once.
If the Snow Maiden has bid a trait, the Heart cannot bid the same trait. If the Heart bids a trait, the Snow Maiden may bid the same trait in response to cancel that bid, at which point bidding returns to the Heart, but if she opts not to do this, she cannot later bid that trait.
Each trait *must* change the Base Attribute.

You should keep track of what traits have been bid, and by whom (checks or initials by the traits should work), as well as how many traits, total, have been bid in the conflict.

Vocabulary: When traits are bid by the Heart, they are called Heroic Traits. When they are bid by the Frost Maiden, they are called Demonic Traits.

*IMPORTANT* Only PC Knights have traits. No other in-game entities have any systematic representation of all. Don't give traits to demons or NPCs, and certainly don't bid them here.

2c) Justify Traits
If it is not immediately clear how a trait applies to a conflict (bidding a senatorial post in a political conflict, say) then whoever bids the trait may be called upon to suggest how it might apply to the conflict at hand. Like the discussion of outcomes, above, this is a totally non-binding suggestion. If both Moons agree that the trait is inappropriate, it may not be bid in the conflict, although the player who bid it may make another bid if they so choose.

2d) Exhaust Traits
When a trait is bid, it is considered "exhausted" for that player, and cannot be bid again until the character has had a refresh (see Advancement and Refresh, below.) Note that traits are exhausted for the *player* and not the *character* -- just because the character's Heart has bid the Starlight Sword trait doesn't mean that the Starlight Sword doesn't come when called any more -- it just means that it might not be important in later conflicts. Also note that each player can bid each trait once before it is exhausted -- if the Heart has already bid Starlight Sword as a Heroic trait, the Frost Maiden could bid it in a later conflict.
It is crucial that you keep track of exhausted traits. Don't forget it.

2e) Establish Stakes
The number of traits bid in the conflict relates to how important the conflict is, and thus how wide-spread its outcome will be, and how bad failure is for the loser. This is called the "Stakes" of the conflict, and is important in narration. The following guidelines shows what the maximum effects are for different stakes levels and different targets.

Damage and Effects Chart:
Traits Novice Veteran Major NPC Minor NPC
0 Neg. Neg. Minor Major
1 Neg. Minor Major Life-Change
2-3 Minor Major Life-Change Death
4-6 Major Life-Change Death Death
7+ Life-Change Death Death Death

Explanation of Chart:
The left-most column is the total number of traits bid in the conflict.
The other columns are the different types of characters -- Novice Knights, Veteran Knights, Major NPCs (people or demons), and Minor NPCs. Note that the first two columns apply only to player characters -- other knights would use "major NPC" or "minor NPC" as appropriate.

The entries describe the amount of change that can be applied to the character as a result of the challenge.

Neg. means that, although there may be minor cosmetic effects, there is not lasting change to the character.

Minor. For injuries, this is light flesh wounds. It can also represent a minor change in the character's viewpoint, a brief infatuation, or short unconsciousness.

Major. For injuries, this can include broken bones, missing limbs, and serious injury that will kill if not treated. It can also represent a major crisis of morality for the character, an effective seduction, or a change of political policy.

Life-Changing. This is any reasonable change to a character that is not death.

Death. As Life-changing, but includes death.

In addition, the more traits that are bid, the greater effect that the challenge will have on the world and the game. A 0 trait fight with a flesh demon is merely all in a days work, but a 7-trait fight with the same demon is an epic struggle that tests the knight's endurance and will be sung of by the Order long after he has passed from this realm. A 2-trait political debate could shape one year's policy, but a 5 trait political debate has lasting impact on the political system of all the remnants.

While much of these effects are left to the narrator, other players should take care to heed the longer-term effects of high-trait conflicts.

3a) Count Final Attribute Value
What attribute was the last bid trait associated with? This is the Base Attribute for the Challenge. For Example: If the last trait bid was Member of the Order of the Stars -- which is a Snow trait -- the Base Attribute is Snow.
Was the last trait bid by the Heart? If the character is a Novice, add the character's Freeze or Flicker score (Freeze for Ice attributes, Flicker for Light attributes) to the Base Attribute. This is the Final Attribute Value.
Was the last trait bid by the Snow Man? If the character is a Veteran, subtract the character's Thaw or Dimness score from the base attribute. This is the Final Attribute Value.

3b) Roll Dice
Now, the Heart rolls a single eight sided dice. If the number showing is lesser than or equal to the Final Attribute value, then the Knight is victorious in the conflict. If the number is lesser than or equal to the Final Attribute value, the Knight has been defeated.

3c) What about Support?
If their was support in the conflict, add one or two dice *of a different color* to the dice that the Heart rolls. If the support was for the Knight, take the lowest dice roll and discard the others. If the support was for the Snow Man, take the highest dice roll and discard the others. If the support was split, it cancels out -- just roll one dice.
Was the support for the Knight? If the lowest dice was one of the extra dice, and the Knight's Heart wins the narration, whoever gave her support has the option of narrating the results of the conflict, *towards the supporting character's goals and not necessarily the Knight's*
Was the support for the Snow Man? If the highest dice was one of the extra dice, and the Snow Man wins the narration, whoever gave him support has the option of narrating the results of the conflict, *towards the supporting character's goals and not necessarily the Demon's*

4a) Who Narrates?
After the roll, the group of players cooperate to describe the results of the conflict, incorporating all traits that were bid (though not necessarily in the way originally suggested) and within the guidelines of Stakes. If the Knight's Heart won the roll, the results must come out in favor of the Knight, although -- again -- not necessarily in the way that he anticipated. If the Frost Maiden won the roll, the results must come out in favor of the Knight's opposition, although not necessarily in a way that is bad for the Knight.
Despite the fact that narration is a collaborative process, one player is designated as the "Chief Narrator" who makes judgments on conflicting ideas, acts as the final word, and works to keep the narration coherent and within the scope of the conflict.
(Some groups, particularly those that play on IRC or by e-mail, may wish to turn the narrative power entirely over to the Chief Narrator. This is fine, although you may lose some good ideas.)
Who is the Chief Narrator? This depends on the roll and the Knight's experience.
If the Knight is a veteran, the Heart serves a the Chief Narrator for failures, and the Frost Maiden serves as the Chief Narrator for succeses.
If the Knight is a novice, the Heart serves as a Chief Narrator for successes, and the Frost Maiden serves as the Chief Narrator for failures.
In the case of support, the Chief Narrator may also be one of the Moons.

4b) What the Moon Saw
Before narration starts, and if they did not act as support in the conflict, the Moons are granted a special privilege. First, the Full Moon may make a single, short, factual statement about the outcome of the challenge, although it should be purposefully kept slightly obscure. "The Sword was Broken" or "She Slapped Him" are good examples. After this, the New Moon may make a single emotive statement. "Calm" or "Bitter" are good examples.
These statements must be included significantly into the narration.
The Moons do not have to do this and, if they do, they should not participate heavily in the Narration process, leaving the other players to interpret their statements.


Experience and Refreshes

As the Knight's lives wear on, they will find themselves opposed at every turn by their own people, their own order, and even their own hearts. The stressful and dangerous life of a Knight Stellar takes its toll even on the strongest of souls, and even as they learn wisdom from their exploits they likewise become overwhelmed with depression and weltschwertz. This is represented, mechanically, by the Experience check.

When to Check?

An Experience Check can be called for by the Knight's Heart after the end of a scene where the Knight has failed a conflict. In addition, the Knight's Snow Man may call for for an Experience Check when a Knight makes some decision which, in the opinion of the Snow Man, reflects despair, depression, cynicism, understanding of the mistaken, or hatred of the people. In the second case, the check must be confirmed by at least one of the Moons before it is rolled.

What is the Experience Check?

The Knight's Snow Man rolls a single eight-sided dice, and compares the result with the Knight's Weariness or Zeal. This check tells how the Knight has considered his experiences, and how they effect him.

If the check is higher than Weariness or Zeal, the Knight considers his actions and failures, and finds within them inspiration to further his cause. No changes are made to the character, but all traits (demonic and heroic) refresh, and may be used in challenges again.

If the check lower than or equal to Weariness or Zeal, the Knight has internalized his experiences, and grown wizened by them. Add one to the Knight's Ice or Light attributes, also adding one to the corresponding subattributes. This increases also gives the Knight a new trait, and raises Weariness (or lowers Zeal) by one. Optionally, raise or lower one of the Knight's subattributes (Snow, Glacier, Star, Dawn) by one, although one of the subattributes must remain equal to the base attribute. (So if you have Ice 3 / Snow 2 / Glacier 3, you could change Snow to 3 or 1, but not change Glacier at all.) If you do this, recalculate your other derived attributes.

Note that, in this second trait, traits do not refresh, although new traits that are gained are eligible for bidding.

In general, the group should decide how the Knight changes (it should be reasonably obvious) but, in event of a dispute, the Knight's Heart has final say in the manner.

The Endless Thorny Road--

If a novice Knight's Zeal is lowered to zero in this manner, the knight has become a Veteran. All unassigned traits must be assigned at this time. Furthermore, raise both Snow and Glacier enough so that the lowest of the two is equal to Ice, and raise both Star and Dawn enough so that the lowest of the two is equal to Light. Recalculate the Knight's Weariness (should be equal to one), Dimness, and Thaw.

If a veteran Knight's Weariness raises above 6, he has been corrupted into a demonic power, and can no longer be played as a character.