Wyrmstone Players Guide

You have arrived at the gateway to limitless adventure! Wyrmstone is a true community creation, forged by the choices of thousands of players, coordinators and authors across the globe. It can be played both as a home game, or as part of the larger organized play global campaign where players around the globe share experiences!

If you are not familiar with Organized Play (OP) campaigns, they are simply methods that allow many different players to participate in a single campaign around the world. Players can play at home, at retail stores and at conventions. Organized Play campaigns are a great way to meet new people and play with old and new friends. Wyrmstone Organized Play is also a great way for people who are finding their lives get busier and busier with each year to still be able to participate in RPG gaming, as the schedule demands are adjustable, you can play when you have time.

You are encouraged to play Wyrmstone either as part of the larger Organized Play campaign, or in your own private campaign.

The Wyrmstone Campaign uses the Fantasy Craft rules. Fantasy Craft is a supplement to the esteemed Spycraft rules from Crafty Games. Based on D&D d20 version 3.0, with many playability improvements! Anybody familiar with d20 should be able to play with little problem understanding the differences. The key improvements are explained in the Spycraft and Fantasy Craft Rules Primer.

Wyrmstone will feature many of the classic d20 creatures and races, however the cultures and backgrounds are adjusted for flavor purposes to fit within the Wyrmstone setting.

Wyrmstone Rule Number One: The Story is King

The primary goal of any Wyrmstone session is to maintain game energy and make sure everyone has fun. The Story is more important than the Rules! One of the biggest ways any game can get derailed is when the players and game control get mired in wrestling with the rules. Rule One seeks to combat this in two ways:

First, a reiteration of an old gaming saw: Sometimes you have to improvise. Judges in any game are allowed to pick and choose which rules are used during a given situation, and possibly even use variant or simpler rules to adjudicate a situation. This concept is not new to the world of RPGs, and the Wyrmstone campaign reaffirms this ability for the Judge.

In practice, this may mean that a Judge may fall back on the tried and true "gimme a roll" technique rather than snatching up the rulebook to ensure that every modifier is applied to the situation. Players should support the Judge when this happens. Ultimately, it's about the collective story the group is telling--arguments about situational modifiers or precise rules wording sap all the energy from the experience, and can destroy everyone's fun. Conversely, Judges should remember it is a shared narrative experience, and avoid steamrolling player input, as they are part of the shared narrative as well.

We discourage argument, regardless of who may be right. If arguments start to build, the Judge is allowed to simply invoke Rule Number One, and players are encouraged to respect it in the interests of keeping the story flowing smoothly. Save rules discussion for the post-game conversation.

Second, in keeping with the concept of minimizing rules disputes, players and Judges at Wyrmstone tables are encouraged to play with No Rulebooks at the Table. This is a surprising assertion, we know. We are asking players to think outside the typical Organized Play box.

When a game session is in progress, simply put the books away. Of course the books are still required to be owned following the standard rules, and if a quick check is needed, so be it. Heavily referencing a book during a game, however, just slows down action. Avoid it. As a player, if you're not immediately involved in the action, don't use the time as a chance to pour over your rulebook. Pay attention to the story. As a Judge, don't be afraid to use "gimme a roll" rather than slow play to a crawl with a ten-minute rulebook consultation.

Remember Crafty Game's Rule#0: {insert rule, explained as: only 2% of the book needs to be used, the rest of the rules are somewhat optional, up to the decision of the Game Control}

The Storytelling Experience

There has come to be an expectation in the Organized Play environment that every running of a scenario should be as close to the same as the last. This is a deviation from the entire concept of storytelling. For centuries Storytelling has been a shared experience by both the Storyteller and the audience. However, the modern Storyteller is quite different from the storyteller of times past. Because of modern media the audience has been trained to expect a single story that never changes regardless of the telling.

We instead encourage the philosophy that each storyteller will tell the story in their own distinct way, working with the characters at the table to generate a unique and fun experience. We encourage the players and judges to embrace this idea and to not be concerned about having a reproducible and consistent experience for every table. That is an unrealistic expectation. For that sort of experience one can instead play a computer game or watch a movie. It is important to remember that this is not a tournament. The term "game" is only loosely applied because there is no winner.

Wyrmstone Campaign Overview

Regions

There are Regions in the game world which are assigned to real world regions. This is, however, not as structured as it is in other campaigns. The purpose of Regions in Wyrmstone is to provide Meta-Game story community. There are no limitations on which scenarios players may play, nor do player characters have to be from their local player region. More information on Regions can be found in the Coordinators Guide.

Scenarios

The Regional Coordinators are not responsible for Scenario Creation. Anybody can be a Scenario Author, and all scenarios are graded as either Bronze, Silver, Gold or Electrum. Bronze scenarios may be posted and downloaded by anybody, without play restrictions, using the Wyrmstone website. By design there is little oversight provided for Bronze Scenarios, to avoid encumbering politics, and it provides a place for new authors to test the waters or showcase their own unique ideas for the Wyrmstone Setting. Silver and Gold Scenarios are submitted through the World Council, and generally are classified as official Wyrmstone Canon, also effecting the primary plotlines of Wyrmstone. Lastly are the Electrum scenarios, which are produced by Regional Coordinators for a player region. Electrum scenarios are similar to Bronze scenarios, but are focused on single events like Interactives at a convention.

Characters

Character tracking is significantly simpler than in any other Organized Play campaign. In Wyrmstone you need only track the Character Name, which scenarios the character has played in, Certificates for the Character and the Character's Reputation. Gold and Experience are not tracked. The campaign is not designed to be simulationist, and it is believed that tracking these things simply adds overhead and encourages rules-lawyering. These characters are called Unlimited Characters.

This is not to say a Player cannot track Gold and Experience. Characters which are played from Level one up with each level tracked are called Signature Characters, and can be a badge of pride for certain players. Signature Characters can also receive special certificates that other characters cannot receive, and they can determine the level of a table.

Reference Wyrmstone Rule Number One for more information about this philosophy. Full details on how this works can be found in the Characters section of the Players Guide.

Meta-Game

Wyrmstone is focused on building the Meta-Game elements of the Organized Play campaign. To this end, a set of rules for running both Role Play Interactives (Simple LARPs) and Battle Interactives are provided, in addition to Meta-Orgs. These are produced through the Electrum Scenarios. There are also Meta-Organizations which are organizations a character can add and participate with outside of a single scenario.

Required Materials

Wyrmstone uses the Spycraft 2.0 rules. The following materials are required to be a player in Wyrmstone. One copy of each of the following must be present at a Wyrmstone table, following the Wyrmstone Campaign Rule One.

• The Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook (either printing -- when both printings are available, use only the rules in the second printing, which features the Crafty Games logo on the spine).
• Fantasy Craft.
• Extended Rules -- Any allowed supplemental rulebook. Each player must bring one copy of each book or legal PDF other than the core rules featuring a character option he has taken, or a rule he wishes to use. When a player invokes a character option or rule to which he doesn't have access during play, the Judge decides whether it may be used, and its effect.
• Errata -- latest edition of any errata for any rule used (Core or Extended). This document is available on the Downloads page of the Crafty Games Website.
• Wyrmstone Campaign Sourcebook (WCS) -- this document, latest edition.

Campaign Documentation

Player Identification

Having a wyrmstone.org website Login is required to play Wyrmstone. Website Logins are free for players. The Wyrmstone website login name is recorded on the Character Journal. This website login is the SAME LOGIN as your login for Living Spycraft.

Character Journal

Characters are tracked using a Character Journal. This Journal tracks:

Character Name (or Alias)

Character Reputation -- starts at 2 for any new character.

Scenario Log -- A log of all scenarios the character has been in. This is signed by the Judge at the end of each table.

Notable Subplots and Certs -- A description of any subplots and notable Certificates that may exist for the character.

Statistics Summary -- A summary of the relevant character statistics (secret skill checks, vitality, etc).

The Character Journal is handed to the judge for review at the start of each game. Character Journals are enumerated, and new ones may be created as a player desires.

Character Sheet

Players are required to have a valid completed Character Sheet for their character, at the described level.

Certificates ("Certs")

Certificates -- or "certs" -- represent specific notoriety, favors, accomplishments or other notable things a character earns during play. The specific effect of each cert is described on the Cert. Wyrmstone certs are printed in a playing-card sized area for ease of tracking by the Players. Certs must be on-hand for characters to receive the benefit described.

When a Cert is received, the Cert Name is recorded in the Certs/Notes section of the Character Journal for the Scenario, and the GC signs and dates (in ink) the individual Certs handed to each player.

Certs may not be traded, and are only usable by the player and/or character to whom they are granted.

When a cert is no longer able to be used (it is Finite, etc) it must be Destroyed. Certs can be destroyed by either tearing them up, or by drawing a line in ink through the entire cert (if the player wishes to keep the Cert).

There are three types of Certs: Player Certs, Crossover Certs and Character Certs. Player certs are given to individual players, and may be used with any character or setting by the player. Crossover certs are given to a specific character, but may be used by any other character in the character ring (even in other settings). Character Certs are given to a character in a specific setting, and may only be used by the assigned character in the specific setting.

Some certs have special qualities, as follows.

• Access (Stockpile System Only): The character may stockpile the described Infrequent, Rare or Unique item.
• Accomplishment: This recognizes a notable accomplishment of the Character. It generally does not ever go away.
• Cumulative: Unless otherwise specified, when a character gains more than 1 copy of a cumulative cert, he is subject to the combined effects of all copies of the cert in his possession. For example, when a character possesses 2 copies of the Enmity of Marius cert, each of which inflicts a -1 penalty with certain skill checks, he suffers a -2 penalty with these checks. Note that any cert without this quality is not cumulative, and multiple copies have no effect.
• Exclusive: Only 1 character may benefit from each specific exclusive cert at each table during each event. This character must be chosen before play begins. If the players cannot agree about who benefits, each character possessing the cert rolls 1d20 and adds his career level, with the highest result benefiting from the cert.
• Finite: This cert may only be used a finite number of times, as noted by the Cert. Each time the cert is used, the Finite quantity is reduced (or a checkbox is filled in with ink if available). When the Finite quantity is reduced to zero or all checkboxes are filled, the Cert is depleted and must be destroyed (as described above). A common use of Finite is as a Favor, where the character can call on the named NPC as a contact of the listed grade, for a specific purpose.
• Limited: A character may only be subject to 1 of each specific limited cert at any given time.
• Report: This cert must be recorded on the GC Character Journal which is handed to the GC before each section.
• Signature: This Cert requires continuity, so may only be used by Signature Characters.
• Status: This describes a specific status or condition the Character is placed under, such as Wanted. The only way to change or remove a Status is described in the flavor text. Many status items are event Triggers, see the Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook, page 399.

Any cert with none of these qualities may be possessed and used in any quantity at each table during each event.

Characters

Because of the Philosophy of Rule Number One and the concept of "just have fun", Wyrmstone has an approach to Character management unique among Organized Play campaigns.

Signature and Unlimited Characters

The Wyrmstone Campaign tracks two types of characters: Signature and Unlimited. A Player has any number of Signature Characters, each tracked normally as described in the Spycraft Rulebook and each with their own Character Journal. A player may also have one Unlimited Character Journal. For an Unlimited Character Journal the player writes the text Unlimited into the character name field, and tracks a single combined Reputation total for all of their Unlimited characters, as well as a combined pool of Certificates for all of their Unlimited characters. Only one Character Journal is used to record all play opportunities for a player using any number of Unlimited characters, where players must have one Character Journal for each of their Signature Characters.

Unlimited characters do not advance, have continuity, or track Experience. They can be created at any level, with any legal character build combination. Because of this Signature Characters receive special certificates that are not provided for Unlimited characters, such as access to Restricted Items. Signature Characters are also allowed to use other continuity systems such as Meta-Orgs. Unlimited Characters may receive access for a single session to a Meta-Org by meeting the Meta-Org requirements and expending half the required Reputation. They may also receive access for a single session to a Restricted item on the allowed Unlimited Characters Restricted items list by spending Reputation equal to the Caliber for the item.

Experience Points (XP) and Reputation

Experience and Reputation may be gained for playing or running Wyrmstone, as follows:

• It is not required to track Experience, but if Experience is tracked from Level 1, the character is considered a Signature Character.
• When a character participates in a Wyrmstone event, the same character gains the XP reward detailed in the scenario's Rewards section.
• If the scenario is in play test at the time it is run, the XP is not applied until the scenario's official public release.
• When a GC runs a scenario he gains the maximum amount of Reputation possible in the scenario, which may be applied to any of the GC's Character Journals along with the text "Burned Scenario" followed by the scenario's name. The Dossier must be signed by at least 2 of the players at the event, each of whom must also provide his full name and Wyrmstone website username. A GC may earn this XP reward only once for each specific scenario.

New Characters

New Wyrmstone characters are created according to the rules in the Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook and the Fantasycraft Rulebook, with the following additions or changes:

• Each Character can begin at any level as desired by the Player (Reference the section on Unlimited vs Signature characters).
• Each Character begins with 2 Reputation, additional Reputation can be gained through play, and is tracked on the Character Journal.
• Each character gains the maximum possible vitality points at Level 1.
• The number of vitality points a Wyrmstone character gains when he rises in level is based on the vitality die of the class in which he gains the level: 5 for d8, 6 for d10, or 7 for d12.
• Gear may only be selected from the unrestricted list. Gear which is restricted may only be selected once it has been discovered through Gameplay and added to the Character Stockpile.
• Alignment: Each character can select from either Alignment pair. However, Evil is not available as an option, and a character who does not spend an Interest on the Good/Evil Alignment pair defaults to Good, not neutral.
• Additional Class Limitations as described.

Table Size and Threat Level

Wyrmstone may run with 3-7 players per table. However, it is recommended to run with 4-6 players wherever possible.

When determining the Threat Level of a table, all characters must fall within a range of six levels. This is first determined by considering the Signature Characters at the table. Unlimited Characters may then be added to the table, but they must fall within the range of six levels already established, and no Unlimited Character can have a level greater than the highest level Signature Character.

The Threat Level is then determined as described in the Spycraft Rulebook. After the Threat Level is determined, the players at the table may unanimously decide to raise or lower it by up to 2 in either direction, but the Threat Level change may not leave the range of six levels established by the characters. Threat Level change effects are then applied as described in the Spycraft Rulebook. A mission's Threat Level may only be modified by unanimous agreement; if even one player dissents, the default Threat Level is used.

Unlimited Characters must also be complete before the game starts. It should take no more than five minutes to prep an Unlimited Character for play at a table. For this reason it is recommended that players have a library of Unlimited Character builds at various levels.

Events are given the discretion to pre-determine the Threat Level range before hand, by stating: This Event will run at Threat Level 4-8 or TL 4-8.

Effect Durations

If playing a Signature Character, the only permanent Effects that carry from session to session are those described in a Certificate.

On Decorum

While playing Wyrmstone, characters are often tasked with all manner of mayhem. It is vital that no one "cross the line" (especially during convention and in-store games where underage children may be present). Players are expected to conduct themselves honestly and be considerate to the rest of the Wyrmstone community. Everyone should strive to be courteous and avoid gratuitous descriptions of potentially questionable activities (including but not limited to theft and assassination).

In most cases, the GC has all the tools required to suitably chastise a character who is crossing the line -- in the form of warnings and possible exposure penalties. Should a dispute arise that cannot be resolved with a minimum of fuss, however, a member of the campaign staff or local event staff may have to be summoned.

Be good to each other, and have fun!

Complaints

For this campaign to function, there must be a degree of honesty and a simple code of trust between players. We would hope that the community can maintain this level of professionalism. However we also understand that there are those who will violate this trust. If anyone (player, coordinator, etc) suspects another of breaking any of the rules, poor gameplay, outright cheating, or even simply of abusing their position, they should submit a description to the Council and the Council will investigate.

What Next?

If you want to play but are not sure how to find a group, try the Player Locater to see who is playing near you. You can also volunteer to Judge a game for players you may know. The campaign is always excited to welcome new players!