House Rules & Guidelines

or, The Basics You Should Know

The basis for the Fate of Empire game is Fate Core. The rules of that game are the default for this game. The things which differ are clearly defined, particularly the Extra inclusions, which were designed to represent the feel of the genre. All other rules, including the Skills, Consequences and other systems, are those of Fate Core.

You are, as a player, strongly encouraged to come up with your own stunts, extras or other things you might want to better represent your character in the fiction. This includes NPCs, antagonists, weird magic or anything else, provided it is permitted by the GM. It's your world. Make it what you want!

The purpose of this game is to enjoy some roleplay in an exciting, Victorian setting rife with swashbuckling, intrigue, magic and weird Science.

There. I said it.

Fate (more perhaps than other RPGs) is a group effort. Players are empowered to change the world around them, to choose their destinies and use their imaginations to spin collaborative stories with the referee by making choices and accepting consequences. In such an environment, it enhances play when all participants are contributing.

To that end, a few simple table rules ought to be observed to include everyone equally.

1. The Spotlight Belongs to All: Some players are naturally more assertive than others. That is not a problem, as long as it is acknowledged and equal time is provided for the others at the table; therefore, if you happen to be the assertive one, make sure you share the spotlight with the others.
2. Aspects are There to be Used: It us the referee's job to establish to initial Aspects in a given scene or location. They are there not only to express a mood, but for the players to leverage to advance the scene. Remember that if no actionable Aspects are present, you can always make one for the low, low, price of a Fate Point.
3. Consequences are a Group Decision: Consequences add spice to gameplay. They are meant to be dramatic, not punitive; as such, the table ought to offer ideas for entertaining, interesting consequences for both the characters and NPCs. In the case of characters, the player gets the final decision, whereas for NPCs that decision belongs to the GM.
4. Rails are for Safety: The rules encourage players to alter the circumstances by affecting and creating Aspects. This is a good thing. Sometimes referees will permit side quests or personal subplots. These, too, are good things; however, on rare occasions players will (intentionally or not) attempt to derail an important referee plot. This is not good. Do not be That Guy.
5. Speaking of Safety...: Roleplaying games can be emotional, challenging, or disturbing. It may bring up uncmfortable subjects or feelings. Every player (including the referee) has the right to call for a scene to Fade to Black, meaning the curtain closes on that scene. No game is worth distressing its players.

Guidelines

Alternative Earth is what we, as a group, decide it is. To that end, it is important that we "color inside the lines" to some degree when it comes to character creation and choices within the fiction. For example, a Doctor Frankenstein character might be a goos starting place, where an anime-style kung fu furry might not, depending on the decisions made by the group. The rules don't bar a character from creating a Death Ray capable of murdering all of metropolitan London, but the fiction might not easily support such a thing.

That said, character creation should ideally be a group activity. Not only can backgrounds and connections be made between characters, but skills and abilities can be made to mesh the group into a powerful team. By the same token, concepts and Aspects can be workshopped to develop strong character concepts with interesting Troubles in a group that has a natural aesthetic fit.

To offer a brief list of possible Aspect ideas based on a character's skills, check out this page.

On Communication

Like any roleplaying game, Fate of Empire takes place within a fictional world with assumptions. Those assumptions must be relayed clearly between the participants in order to maintain the expectations of all involved, whether it be in styles of dress, social mores or level of violence within that fiction.

To that end, we do our best to convey simple, reasonable house rules permitting everyone to have a say without fear of judgement, whether it be on the fiction itself or the content thereof. Some games are simply not for everyone, however, and in some cases the referee may (either by themselves or the recommendation of others) opt to remove a player from the game. This is not a punishment. It is merely the acknowledgement of a poor fit, nothing more.