How to Play by Post
In general, most players post once or twice a day. Please be aware of this if you want to play.
The ST will introduce each scene and roleplay any NPCs. Players should introduce their characters in each new scene, clearly setting out why they're there and what they might want (this can be as simple as 'Tim wandered in because he was feeling nosy').
Because of the nature of play by post (and everyone having different schedules and being in different timezones), there is no set order for players' responses, except during combat. Players can respond at any appropriate time to indicate their next action and/or a few lines of dialogue or thought, provided they allow others to respond to any interactions or violence that may impact them. Internal monologues and dialogue are perfectly acceptable replies - not every post has to be an action.
If a roll is required, the ST will indicate which dice pool should be used, and what the difficulty is. In their next post, the player should paste the result from the dice roller app and narrate the character's action (e.g., 'Tim takes a mighty swipe at the dragon with a great heave, beads of sweat falling from his brow'). The ST will then narrate the effect of this on NPCs and NPCs (e.g., 'Tim's blade cuts deep and the dragon howls, rearing up its head to fight back').
The ST may only occasionally edit posts to resolve conflicts - for example, if two characters' posts contradict each other, or if a player rolls at the wrong difficulty by mistake.
Players and the ST will continue to post their replies to a scene until the ST considers it 'resolved' and awards XP. At this point, characters are free to dust themselves off or type up a dramatic exit before moving onto the next scene, if appropriate. When players are ready to leave the scene, they should type 'END SCENE'. The ST will then set up the next scene.
A scene usually takes a week or so to resolve. If you think you will be unable to take part for a few days, please contact the ST, who will either allow you to state your intentions upfront (so that the ST can post for you) or agree a reason why your character may be absent from the scene.
Difficulty
Like Mage, no difficulty can rise beyond 9. Should the difficulty rise beyond 9, it is either impossible or the threshold (number of successes needed) increases by one (ST's call). Quintessence and/or Glamour (as appropriate for the kind of roll) can be spent to reduce the difficulty, as can other modifiers. Willpower can be used for automatic successes.
The difficulties for magic for both changelings and mages has also been streamlined under the rules for Glamour Systems and True Magick.
Automatic Successes
Sometimes a roll isn't needed. In such cases, the character can be considered to have one success on that action. Minor actions at times of low stress are the prime example. The following situations do not need a roll and will be considered to succeed with one success:
- Where your dice pool for an action exceeds the difficulty, and there are no stressful factors (combat, natural disasters, high-speed car chases...).
- Chimerical cantrips cast on a changeling's person or property.
- A coincidental rote cast on a mage's person or property.
Social Combat
The system for social combat in The Succubus Club: Dead Man's Party is a great one, and I've adapted it for use here. The process is relatively simple:
1. Posturing: Roll Charisma + Etiquette (difficulty 6). Three successes gives the character a point of Favour. A botch grants a point of Disfavour.
2. Initiative: Add your successes on the Posturing roll to your dots in Status (if relevant) to calculate your 'social initiative'.
2. Actions: Favour, Disfavour, Compel, Observe, Withdraw (resisted roll if being contested or undermined).
Read more over at the Social Systems page.