Game Flow

For the most part, a game of Lux Aeterna alternates between the GM describing a scenario and the players reacting to it. The GM then describes how the world or NPCs react to the players' actions and the players in turn describe their reaction and so on until the session ends (to be continued next time) or the story concludes.

This symbiotic process is divided into several interdependent Scenes, similar to what you might see in a movie or TV show; the overall story is broken up into smaller, interconnecting pieces that help form the narrative arc.

Just like a movie, TV show, or stage play, in-game action is broken into several bite-sized portions called Scenes. A Scene consists of all the action relevant to a single plot point like negotiating with a stingy merchant, fighting a monster, or tracking a gang of thieves to their lair. Though comprised of several individual actions, a Scene unites all these actions with a common purpose and direction.

A Scene can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to several days, months, or even years depending on the needs of the narrative (compare a fast-paced battle scene to a montage that condenses several months of training into one verse and chorus of "Eye of the Tiger"). And within Scenes, there are even smaller measures of time.

A Turn is the smallest measure of time, consisting of all the Actions of a single character. During their turn, a character uses their Actions to achieve their goals, ending their turn either when they chose to or when they run out of Actions. If translated into real world time, a turn would last 5 to 10 seconds.

Rounds consist of all the turns of all the characters participating in the Scene. Once every character has taken a turn, the round ends and a new one begins. Characters recover all their Actions at the start of their turn each round. If acted out in the real world, a round would last from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

INITIATIVE: THE ORDER OF TURNS

During Scenes where role-playing, problem-solving, story, and exposition are featured, players may take their turns in any order without the need to establish who goes first (so long as everyone gets a chance to act and contribute). When lives are on the line, when battle is eminent, when time is a factor and the success of the mission is on the line, the rule of turns should be enforced through Initiative.

Initiative is a way of establishing the order in which characters take their turns during a Scene. Every participant in the scenario rolls 1d20 and adds their Speed (one of the stats on your character sheet) to the total. Turns are taken in order from highest Initiative to lowest Initiative. If they so choose, a character with a higher Initiative is free to delay taking their turn when the time comes, jumping back into the order of Initiative at a lower point in the order when they choose to do so.

In case of a tie:

The character with the highest Speed goes first. If there is still a tie...
Tied combatants roll 1d20 (the highest number goes first)

Milli, Roan, and Pau are surrounded by goblins. Everyone rolls Initiative:

Milli: 16 + 4 Speed = 20
Roan: 12 + 5 Speed = 17
Pau: 8 + 4 Speed = 12

Goblin Archer: 19 + 4 Speed = 23
Goblin Leader: 13 + 4 Speed = 17
Goblin Skirmisher: 5 + 6 Speed = 11

Since Roan and the Goblin Leader are tied (at 17), they compare their Speed. Roan's Speed of 5 is higher than the Goblin Leader's 4, so Roan will go just before the Goblin Leader.

Thus Initiative is established in the following order: Goblin Archer, Milli. Roan, Goblin Leader, Pau, Goblin Skirmisher.

The Goblin Archer fires a shot and misses. Milli takes her turn, charging the enemy's front line and attacking. Roan decides to wait until later in the fray to see who needs healing. The Goblin Leader and Pau take their turns and sure enough, Milli is in trouble right as the Goblin Skirmisher is about to take its turn. Roan steps back into the order of Initiative here, using his turn to heal Milli and weaken the Goblins.

The order of Initiative is now: Goblin Archer, Milli, Goblin Leader, Pau, Roan, Goblin Skirmisher.

ACTIONS

Actions are what characters do both on and off their turns and each character has a limited number of Actions they can take during a round. There are several different types of Actions.

STANDARD ACTION

Anything that requires a normal amount of focus, attention, and time to accomplish can be described as a Standard Action.

Making an attack
Moving from point A to point B
Rolling a Feat
Climb up onto a mount
Most special abilities are used as a standard Action

Performing a standard Action during your turn takes 1 Action away from your total Actions.

HALF ACTION

A Half Action still takes a moment of time, but doesn't require as much attention, focus, or effort to accomplish.

Drink a potion or use an item
Open/close an unlocked door, chest, etc.
Draw a weapon or take/stow something from your pack
Pick up a lightweight object

Performing a Half Action during your turn takes 0.5 Actions away from your total Actions.

FREE ACTION

This type of Action requires almost no thought, effort, or time and can be performed instantaneously whenever you like, even if it isn't your turn.

Talk (though lengthy soliloquies may require a Half-Action or more)
Drop something into your current space

Performing a Free Action costs 0 Actions and can be done any time.

REACTIONS

Sometimes you'll need to respond to something that happens outside of your turn. When you do, you'll use a Reaction to do so. The number of Reactions you can take each Round is equal to the number of Half Actions you have and you recover all your Reactions when your next turn ends.
There are two types of Reactions:

REFLEX

The triggering event is resolved and then your Reaction takes place.

You step on a trap. The trap goes off and you can Save as a Reflex to get out of the way. Whether or not you Save, the Trap is triggered and you'll have to deal with the consequences.

INTERRUPT

The triggering event begins and your Reaction interrupts it, potentially changing the outcome of the triggering Action.

You have a special ability that alerts you to danger just before you step on a trap. This Interrupt keeps you from tripping the trap and spares you from the trouble it would cause.

Defending against an incoming attack or Saving against an unforeseen threat ARE considered Reactions (Interrupt).

Sustained Actions

You begin the Action normally, but must use Concentration to keep it going. You can only Concentrate on one such task at a time and the moment you lose Concentration, the Action you're Sustaining ends. You can voluntarily stop Concentrating any time. Alternatively, you can lose Concentration if you are knocked unconscious, Wounded, or otherwise become unable to perform Actions.

Juggle, play an instrument, recite a long verse
Some special abilities can keep their effect active through Concentration

NARRATIVE ACTIONS

Some actions aren't achieved in a single moment or even a series of moments. Some actions are best played out as mini-Scenes all their own. Tasks like repairing a legendary weapon, conducting esoteric research, performing complex surgery, or tracking quarry across hill and dale require time and a sequential series of different, related actions to complete. These kinds of tasks are referred to as Narrative Actions.

During the course of a Narrative Action, the GM should come up with at least two Milestones during which the character makes progress towards their goal. What takes place at each Milestone as well as how much time passes between Milestones is up to the GM to decide (the Milestones in disarming a ticking time-bomb should pass quicker than the Milestones for forging a sword, for example.)

DIFFICULTY OF NARRATIVE ACTIONS

Easy
Average 1 Bump per Milestone

At each Milestone, the character will roll a Feat and tally their Bumps. Narrative Actions have a very high Difficulty, but the total number of Bumps from each Milestone accumulate towards the success of the entire task. Once all the Milestones have been passed and all the rolls have been made, the player compares their total to the action's Difficulty; if they've met or exceeded the threshold, the action succeeds. If not, it fails and any consequences associated with failure come to pass.

The son of a master smith, Graye has decided to reforge the sword of his family. Having gathered the materials in his workshop, he begins the daunting task. The GM decides there are three Milestones and that the entire task has a cumulative Difficulty of 8. Over the course of a week, Graye will complete the following tasks:

The first Milestone is reforging the shattered pieces of the blade. Graye rolls 2 Bumps.
The second Milestone is reattaching the blade to the hilt. Gray rolls 4 Bumps.
The third Milestone is general repairs and final touches. Gray rolls a total of 3 Bumps.

Graye's grand total at the end of this Narrative Action is 9 Bumps; just enough to succeed.

TAKING YOUR TURN

There are a number of things that happen as your turn starts, during your turn, and as your turn ends. These things always happen in the same sequence:

1: Negative Effects

Any pervasive negative effects on your character such as poison or a magical curse take their toll before anything else happens.

2: Upkeep

Any costs you're required to pay in order to keep special effects or powers active are paid at this point. If you don't pay for them, they immediately end at this point.
Any event that ends or occurs "at the start of your turn" happens now.

3: Positive Effects

Any pervasive positive effects that benefit or strengthen your character happen next.

4: Character Actions

Now you take your turn, using your Actions and rolling dice to do what you wish to see done.
This phase of your turn ends when you run out of Actions or voluntarily end your turn.
Any event that ends or occurs "at the end of your turn" happens now.

5: Off-Turn

Sometimes you'll need to react to something that happens when it isn't your turn.
The number of Reactions you can take off-turn is the same as the number of Half Actions you can take during your turn.
You can also perform any Free Actions you're capable of when it's not your turn.

Rest & downtime

Every person needs rest and heroes are no exception. There are two kinds of rest that take place during the course of gameplay:

Short Rests are a breather of at least 15 minutes where characters take a quick break to catch their breath and collect themselves between Scenes. Typically, Short Rests are taken after combat. There are many things a character can do during a Short Rest such as:
- Loot the bodies
- Identify an item
- Spend Resolve to recover lost HP
- At the end of a Short Rest, everyone who rested recovers all the Focus they've spent so far.
Full Rests consist of at least 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep (characters who don't need to sleep can meditate or relax in other ways). When a Full Rest is finished, a character's reserves of Hit Points, Resolve, and Focus are all completely restored along with any Mana, special abilities, or other effects that can only be used a limited number of times each day.

SHORT REST

A breather of at least 15 minutes where characters take a quick break to catch their breath and collect themselves between Scenes. Typically, Short Rests are taken after combat. There are many things a character can do during a Short Rest such as:

Loot the bodies
Identify an item
Spend Resolve to recover lost HP
At the end of a Short Rest, everyone who rested recovers all the Mana they've spent so far.

FULL REST

A Full Rest consists of at least 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep (characters who don't need to sleep can meditate or relax in other ways).

When a Full Rest is finished, a character's reserves of Hit Points, Resolve, and Mana are all completely restored along with any other special resources and abilities that can only be used a limited number of times each day.