Style & Soul: The Fashion System
Expressive fashion, mechanical bonuses, and unlockable accessories.
In Iris Halo, your adventures aren't just about cosmic battles; they're also about navigating high school, building relationships, and expressing who you are. The Fashion System brings your character's personal style to the forefront, allowing it to add flavour to slice-of-life scenes and subtly influence daily interactions. This system focuses on narrative expression and minor situational effects rather than significant stat boosts.
Core Concepts
Outfits: Your main clothing choice for a scene or day, categorized by type (e.g., Uniform, Casual).
Style Tags: Descriptive words (e.g., Cute, Punk, Comfy) that add personality to your outfit and influence roleplaying and NPC reactions.
Situational Bonuses/Penalties: Wearing attire appropriate (or inappropriate) for a specific situation can grant a minor mechanical adjustment, usually a +/- 1 Rank Shift on relevant actions using the Mythic d20 scale.
Accessories: Special items (like scarves, jewellery, charms) that provide unique, often persistent, minor bonuses or narrative effects. These are typically earned or acquired through gameplay.
Outfit Categories & Situational Effects
When describing your character's attire, choose an Outfit Category. Depending on the situation, this choice might provide a small advantage or disadvantage. The Game Master (GM) helps determine when these apply.
| Outfit Category | Description & Examples | Bonus Context (+1 Rank Shift) | Penalty Context (-1 Rank Shift) |
|---|---|---|---|
| School Uniform | The standard Narasato Gakuen uniform (or approved variations). | Interactions with faculty/student council, navigating school bureaucracy, blending in at school. | Trying to be sneaky outside school hours, physically demanding tasks (if restrictive), formal events outside school. |
| Casual Wear | Everyday clothes: jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, skirts, etc. | Relaxed social situations (hanging out, café visits), general comfort, blending in around town. | Formal events, meeting important figures requiring professional dress, situations needing specific gear (e.g., intense sport). |
| Formal Wear | Suits, dresses, nice blouses/shirts for special occasions. | Important social events (parties, ceremonies, fancy dates), making a strong positive first impression on dignitaries/authority figures. | Physical activity, casual hangouts (can seem stuffy/overdressed), trying to blend into a casual crowd, getting dirty. |
| Sportswear/Active | Gym clothes, tracksuits, specialised sports gear. | Physical activities (sports clubs, training, running), tasks requiring agility/endurance. | Formal events, most classroom settings (outside P.E.), situations requiring neatness or professionalism. |
| Traditional Wear | Yukata, kimono, jinbei, shrine maiden attire, etc. | Shrine visits, cultural festivals, specific traditional events, impressing traditionalist NPCs. | Most everyday school/town activities, situations requiring rapid/unrestricted movement (unless designed for it). |
| Sleepwear/Loungewear | Pajamas, comfortable sweats, primarily worn at home. | Relaxing at home, boosting Stress recovery during designated downtime scenes at home. | Almost any public situation, any physically or socially demanding task outside the home. |
| Cosplay/Costume | Outfits for specific events, performances, or disguise. | Themed parties, school festival events, specific Performance skill checks (if relevant), attempted Disguise checks (if appropriate). | Most normal social interactions (draws unwanted attention), situations where blending in is crucial. |
Example: You're meeting a friend at the Outcast Café (#-outcast-cafe).
Wearing Casual Wear is standard, no bonus/penalty.
Wearing Formal Wear to impress them might grant a +1 Rank Shift to your initial social check to "make a good impression," but might feel awkward later.
Wearing Sportswear right after track practice might impose a -1 Rank Shift on checks to impress someone fastidious about neatness.
Style Tags: Express Yourself!
Beyond the category, add Style Tags to describe your outfit's vibe. These tags primarily influence roleplaying and how NPCs perceive your character. They don't usually grant mechanical Rank Shifts on their own but enrich the narrative.
Examples: Cute, Cool, Elegant, Chic, Punk, Goth, Preppy, Nerdy, Sporty, Artsy, Comfy, Simple, Flashy, Vintage, Traditional, Sloppy, Mismatched.
Effect:
NPC Reactions: Characters might comment on your style ("That's a very chic look!" or "Your punk style is certainly... loud."). Matching an NPC's preferred style might make Relationship gains slightly easier.
Roleplaying Cues: A Comfy outfit might support a Calm Mood, while a Flashy one might fit a Confident Mood. Use tags to show your character's personality or current feelings.
Combination: You can combine tags! "Casual Wear with a Cool and Sporty style" presents a different image than "Casual Wear with a Cute and Nerdy style."
Accessories: Special Touches with Minor Perks
Accessories are distinct items like hats, scarves, jewellery, pins, bags, glasses, etc., that add personality and often provide small, specific bonuses. Unlike basic outfits, Accessories are usually found, gifted, purchased from special shops, or earned through gameplay achievements, making them feel more significant.
Slots: You can typically benefit from a limited number of accessories at once (e.g., maybe 1 Headwear, 1 Neckwear, 1-2 Wrist/Hand items, 1 Charm/Other slot - the GM will clarify specifics).
Bonuses: Accessory effects are minor but focused. They might offer:
A +1 Rank Shift to a very specific skill check or type of interaction (e.g., "Friendship Bracelet: +1 Rank Shift on social actions targeting the friend who gave it to you").
A small boost to Stress Recovery in certain situations (e.g., "Comforting Scarf: Slightly increases Stress recovered during rest scenes when worn").
A narrative hint or minor advantage in specific locations or contexts (e.g., "Ancient Temple Token: May provide a hint when dealing with phenomena related to the Abandoned Temple").
A bonus related to a specific Club or Job activity.
| Accessory Example | Typical Slot | Potential Bonus Example | How Acquired Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Cat Charm | Charm/Other | Once per day, declare before rolling: gain +1 Rank Shift on one luck-based roll (GM determines validity). | Purchased at Shirasaki Shrine |
| Study Aid Glasses | Headwear | +1 Rank Shift on Research or Academics (General) checks made while studying during slice-of-life scenes. | Reward for high grades/Tutoring |
| Band Practice Wristband | Wrist/Hand | +1 Rank Shift on Performance checks related to your specific instrument/music club activity. | Earned through club milestones |
| Hand-Knit Scarf | Neckwear | Slightly improves Stress Recovery amount when choosing "Relaxing Activities" for downtime. | Received as a heartfelt gift |
| Stylish Choker | Neckwear | +1 Rank Shift on checks to impress NPCs known to prefer a specific Style Tag (e.g., 'Chic' or 'Cool'). | Bought at a town boutique |
Narrative Significance: Wearing a gift from an NPC is a great way to show you value the relationship! Some accessories might carry historical or emotional weight.
How to Use the Fashion System in Play
Declare Your Look: At the start of the day or when changing outfits, describe your character's Outfit Category and add 1-3 descriptive Style Tags. Mention any Accessories they are wearing.
Consider the Context: As scenes unfold, you or the GM can identify situations where your Outfit Category might grant a Situational Bonus (+1 Rank Shift) or Penalty (-1 Rank Shift) based on the table above.
Apply Rank Shifts: If a bonus or penalty applies, adjust the Rank for that specific check accordingly.
Factor in Accessories: Remember any relevant passive or situational bonuses provided by your worn Accessories.
Roleplay It! Describe how your character feels in their clothes. How do others react to their style? Let your fashion choices contribute to the story and character interactions.
Getting New Threads & Accessories
Shopping District (#-shopping-district): Various stores offer different styles. Requires spending allowance or money earned from Part-Time Jobs.
Gifts: NPCs or other PCs might gift clothing or accessories, impacting Relationship Ranks.
Crafting: Simple items might be craftable via skills (Crafting (Sewing)) or School Clubs (Art Club, Home Ec).
Rewards: Unique accessories or outfit components might be awarded for completing plot milestones, achieving personal goals, or purifying challenging Malfested.
Final Note: The Fashion System is here to enhance your roleplaying experience and add flavour to the slice-of-life aspects of Iris Halo. Have fun expressing your character's unique style as they navigate life in Narasato!
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