Fortune and Misfortune

The luck scale is a gaming mechanic to help simulate good and bad luck or variations of luck.

High Die, Low Die, Middle Die

Every roll requires the tossing of 3d10. The one that is numerically lowest is the low die. The one that is numerically highest is the high die. The one between those two numerically is the middle die.

The Scale

A person's luck changes often, usually at random and with nuance. But a general scale for gaming purposes is as followers:

1. Catastrophic: GM narrates autofailures instead of rolling. Player rolls every sixth time a roll would take place, only to see if a good triple or good sequence occurs, which is the only way their luch changes.
2. Disastrous: player takes low die and subtracts middle die as penalty to low die. Companions (up to five others) take low die on every roll as well. On every roll of 6, GM narrates bonus failure on top of automatic exceptional. On every sixth roll of 6, GM (and/or other players) add a penalty to roll each of their choosing. On every sixth roll, GM narrates failure by fiat. Karma always has penatly from the GM. Luck changes on any triple or on sequences containing a 6 or a 7.
3. Extreme Misfortune: player takes low die. Companions (up to five others) take low die on every sixth roll. On wevery roll of 6, player fails exceptionally no matter what. On every sixth roll of 6, GM narrates bonus failure on top of automatic exceptional. Karma always has a penalty from teh GM. Luck changes on any triple or on sequences containing a 6 or a 7.
4. Exceptional Misfortune: player takes the low die on every roll. On every roll of 6, player fails specially unless die say their failure is exceptional. On every sixth roll of 6, they fail exceptionally no matter what. Karma always has a penalty from the GM. Luck changes on triples or sequences.
5. Very Bad: player takes the low die on every sixth roll. On every roll of 6, player fails even if the die say they succeeded. On every sixth roll of 6, they have a special failure unles the die say it exceptional. Karma works normally unless GM decides to add penalty of some kind. Luck changes on triples or sequences.
6. Bad: player takes the low die on every sixth roll. On every sixth roll of 6, player fails even if the die say they succeeded. Karma works normally. Luck changes on triples or sequences.
7. Below Average: player takes the low die on every sixth roll. Karma works normally. Luck changes on triples or sequences.
8. Average: no penalties or bonuses. Player takes middle die. Karma works normally. Luck changes on triple rolls (see below) or sequences (see below).
9. Above Average: player takes the high die on every seventh roll. Karma works normally. Luck changes on triples or sequences.
10. Good: player takes the high die on every seventh roll. On every seventh roll of 7, player succeeds even if the die say they failed. Karma works normally. Luck changes on triples or sequences.
11. Very Good: player takes the high die on every seventh roll. On every roll of 7, player succeeds even if the die say they failed. On every seventh roll of 7, they have a special success even if the die say it is lower. Karma works normally unless GM decides to add a bonus of some kind. Luck changes on triples or sequences.
12. Exceptional Fortune: player takes the high die on every roll. On every roll of 7, player succeeds specially unless die say their success is exceptional. On every seventh roll of 7, they succeed exceptionally no matter what. Karma always has a bonus from the GM. Luck changes on triples or sequences.
13. Extreme Fortune: player takes high die. Companions (up to six others) take high die on every seventh roll. On every roll of 7, player succeeds exceptionally no matter what. On every seventh roll of 7, player narrates bonus success on top of automatic exceptional. Karma always has a bonus from the GM. Luck changes on any triple or on sequences containing a 6 or a 7.
14. Miraculous: player takes high die and adds low die as bonus to high die. Companions (up to six others) take high die on every roll as well. On every roll of 7, player narrates bonus success on top of automatic exceptional. On every seventh roll of 7, other players add one bonus to roll each of their choosing. On every seventh roll period, player and GM narrate autosucesses instead of rolling. Karma always has a bonus from the GM. Luck changes on any triple or on sequences containing a 6 or a 7.
15. Charmed Life: player and GM narrate autosuccesses instead of rolling. Player rolls every seventh time a roll would take place, only to see if a bad triple or a bad sequence occurs, which is the only way their luck changes.

Rolls

Different rolls can cause different effects and shifts in luck.

Triples

Rolling triples will cause changes in luck and unexpected events. If luck changes go off scale, they simply stop at the most extreme (i.e., you can't go from above average to worse than catastorphic; you just end up with catastrophic luck). Triples will always have an impact on luck.

• 1s: luck falls 6 places. For every sixth time this roll is still a success for player, it becomes a special failure instead. If the roll is naturally an exceptional failure, GM narrates extra negative event.
• 2s: luck falls 1 place. For every sixth time this roll is still a success for player, it becomes a failure instead.
• 3s: luck rises 7 places. For every seventh time this roll is still a failure for player, it becomes a special success instead. If the roll is naturally an exceptional success, GM narrates extra positive event.
• 4s: luck rises 1 place. For every seventh time this roll is still a failure for player, it becomes a success instead.
• 5s: luck falls 10 places. For every sixth time this roll is still a success for player, it becomes an exceptional failure instead. If this roll is naturally an an exceptional failure, GM narrates extra negative event for player and up to five companions. If this roll is naturally a special failure, GM narrates extra negative event.
• 6s: luck falls 14 places. Roll is ignored; catastrophic failure occurs.
• 7s: luck rises 14 places. Roll is ignored, miraculous success occurs.
• 8s: luck rises 3 places. For every seventh time this roll is still a failure for player, it becomes a success instead. If the roll is naturally an exceptional success, GM narrates extra positive event.
• 9s: luck falls 3 places. For every sixth time this roll is still a success for player, it becomes a failure instead. If the roll is naturally an exceptional failure, GM narrates extra negative event.
• 10s: luck rises 10 places. For every seventh time this roll is still a failure for player, it becomes an exceptional success instead. If this roll is naturally an exceptional success, player narrates extra positive event. If this roll is naturally a special success, GM narrates extra positive event.

Sequences

Rolling numbers in sequence will cause changes in luck and unexpected events. If luck goes off scale, they simply stop at the most extreme. Some sequences will act in reverse on the seventh or sixth time they show up for a player. The GM may decide not to use these.

• 012: technically this roll is 1, 2, and 10, but as many die show 10 as 0, it is taken on these rolls as 0, 1, 2 if and only if the players luck is very bad or worse. Luck falls 2 places. Every sixth time this sequences occurs while player has very bad luck or worse, it fails exceptionally automatically. If it is already an exceptional failure, GM narrates extra negative event.
• 123: Luck falls 1 place. Every sixth time this sequence occurs, it fails exceptionally automatically.
• 135: Odds sequence. Luck rises 1 place. Every seventh time this sequences occurs, it succeeds exceptionally automatically.
• 234: Luck rises 2 places. Every seventh time this sequences occurs, it succeeds exceptionally automatically. If it is already an exceptional success, GM narrates extra positive event.
• 235: Prime sequence. Luck falls 4 places. PC suffers long-term penalty.
• 246: Evens seqeuence. Luck rises 4 places. PC experiences long-term bonus.
• 248: Powers of 2. Luck falls 5 places. PC suffers illness or injury with permanent consequence.
• 345: Luck rises 5 places. PC experiences unexpected positive with permanent consequence.
• 357: Odds sequence. Luck rises 9 places. PC experiences major personal gain when none was expected or perhaps even possible.
• 369: Powers of 3. Luck rises 8 places. PC experiences unexpected positive with major life change.
• 456: Luck falls 9 places. PC experiences major personal loss when none was expected or perhaps even possible.
• 468: Evens sequence. Luck falls 11 places. PC and those close to them experience major personal loss when none was expected or perhaps even possible.
• 567: Luck falls 8 places. PC suffers unexpected negative with major life change.
• 579: Odds sequence. Luck rises 11 places. PC and those close to them experience major personal gain when none was expected or perhaps even possible.
• 678: Luck falls 12 places. A natural disaster occurs.
• 680: Evens sequence. Luck falls 6 places. PC or someone close to them will die or experience a major personal loss.
• 789: Luck rises 13 places. A miracle occurs.
• 890: Luck rises 7 places. PC or someone close to them will be saved from certain death or experience a major personal windfall.

Doubles

Any player using the luck scale may choose whether doubles count for their luck or not. This choice must be made at the start of the game and can only be changed via karma or as narrative fiat during a triple 7. It is always the player's choice, never the GM's. No event or die changes occur, but luck changes position on these rolls.

• 1s low: Luck drops 9 places.
• 2s low: Luck drops 5 places.
• 2s high: Luck drops 1 place.
• 3s low: Luck rises 3 places.
• 3s high: Luck rises 9 places.
• 4s low: Luck drops 3 places.
• 4s high: Luck rises 8 places.
• 5s low: Luck drops 2 places.
• 5s high: Luck rises 4 places.
• 6s low: Luck drops 12 places.
• 6s high: Luck drops 6 places.
• 7s low: Luck rises 13 places.
• 7s high: Luck rises 7 places.
• 8s low: Luck drops 8 places.
• 8s high: Luck rises 2 places.
• 9s low: Luck drops 4 places.
• 9s high: Luck rises 1 place.
• 0s high: Luck rises 5 places.

Types of Die

If luck is affected by something more chaotic, it can alter the die used by the player. Instead of 3d10, the player may roll any combination of the following:

• d2s: usually a very bad shift in luck.
• d4s: usually a very bad shift in luck.
• d6s: usually a bad shift in luck.
• d8s: usually a bad shift in luck.
• d12s: usually a good shift in luck.
• d20s: usually a good shift in luck.
• d30s: usually a very good shift in luck.
• d100s: usually a very good shift in luck.

Number of Die

If luck is made more or less stable, it can affect the number of die used. Assuming the player is taking the middle die, the more die used means a more stable, average luck. Due to need to have a middle die, the number of die is never even. Number of die caps at 7.

• 1 die: very erratic
• 3 die: standard luck
• 5 die: more stable
• 7 die: very stable

Fortune-Vaning

Fortune-vaning is the use of a tool similar to a weather vane to determine the direction the winds of luck are blowing. Because the GM and the player cannot actually predict what the dice will roll, fortune-vaning in effect simply means a shift in luck will be determined by the vaning rolls. Essentially, the vane will determine what die are rolled and the rolls will determine (based on lists above) how the luck will change and roughly when. Triples will always indicate change. It is up to the GM if sequences do and up to the player if doubles do.

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