Beliefs, Instincts & Traits

Beliefs

Each character has 3 Beliefs. A Belief states what the character intends to do and why.

  • Playing toward a Belief earns Fate.
  • Completing a Belief’s goal earns Persona.
  • Acting against a Belief (moldbreaker) earns Persona.
  • Completed or stale Beliefs should be rewritten.

Instincts

Each character has 3 Instincts. An Instinct is an automatic behavior.

Form Example
Always “I always sleep with my sword.”
Never “I never let anyone stand behind me.”
If/Then “If ambushed, I draw my sword and attack.”
  • An Instinct that triggers means the described action already happened before trouble began — it does not bypass a test, but the preparation is assumed to have taken place.
  • An Instinct that causes trouble earns Fate.

Trait Types

Type Mechanical Effect
Character No mechanical effect — informs roleplaying
Die Grants bonus dice, opens abilities, or changes rules
Call-On Reroll all failed dice on a specific test type, once per session

Trait Votes

At end of arc or milestone:

  1. Any player nominates a trait for any character based on observed play.
  2. Table votes — majority grants (or removes) the trait.
  3. New traits from votes start as Character traits; may be elevated later.