Fate Noosphere

The fundamental aim of the Story Debate is to provide a vehicle for compelling narratives. FATE NOOSPHERE, by 100thlurker, is intended to emphasize these elements by actualizing them as mechanics, free the player from minutiae, and even allow those feeling burnout or burdened by sudden time constraints to continuing to generating narratives that they can pick up upon later. In many ways the system is more a model of historiography than it is a wargame-lite, as other system-heavy SDs tend to be, and owes a heavy debt to the FATE system created by Evil Hat Games.

FATE NOOSPHERE is capable of supporting any kind of overall Story Debate concept, whether a D&D-esque High Fantasy game of nations, grand space opera in the spirit of Legend of Galactic Heroes, to hard, gritty Sci-Fi. It is an open system well able to accept any setting specific tweaks necessary to tailor the experience.

Gameplay

Aspects

An Aspect is a short phrase describing a detail of whatever subject it is attached to; anything from a situation, a zone, an army, or even a character. They are the primary means to both gain and spend Fate points, to influence the narrative by introducing new complications to a scenario, passive opposition that has to be overcome, and bonuses to various rolls. They are detrimental or beneficial, but a good aspect should be either depending on the situation. More importantly, they tell you what is important about a scenario and when to utilize mechanics.

You can Invoke an Aspect for your benefit by cashing in a Fate Point. This is called an Invocation. On the inverse, when your aspects complicate your plans in some way in exchange for a Fate Point, this is called accepting a compel.

Fate Points

“Yes, but is he lucky?”
- Napoleon Bonaparte

Players have a pool of points called “Fate Points” that are the narrative currency and a Refresh rating. Players always start a turn with as many Fate Points as their Refresh Rating indicates even if they spent every single one they had the turn prior. However, if one ends a turn with more Fate Points in their pool than their refresh rating, they get to keep them.

Damage

Collapse

When you have no Stress Tracks or Consequences free to soak shifts from a hit, this triggers a collapse. Your government can no longer function. This is much more severe than a crises of confidence, a loss of territory, an economic slump, or even a coup. Momentary difficulties pass. A collapse is the moment when the entire edifice violently self-destructs, breaks up into its constituent pieces, or worse, is totally conquered. For Movements, this is the moment when they are totally bankrupted both physically and socially. And even Legends can die.

If your Collapse was brought about by your enemies, this is particularly bad. Like in a lesser defeat, your enemy (or enemies) will get to dictate some of the circumstances and the aftermath of these events - and you don't get a veto.

However, even in this dark hour there is always hope. From toppled Empires spring successor states who may one day reclaim glory. Loyalists and patriots can go underground where they continue the fight. Canny operators may recoup some assets from a dying operation. People who are slain may have successors.

When a Player’s Power, Movement, or Legend collapses, they are given the option of either rolling a new concept or splintering. Splintering is mechanically much like rolling a new concept, however, you can negotiate with the GM to inherit zones, stem points, superprojects, traits, and characters from the Collapsed concept...As well as the burdens, responsibilities, and issues that come with succeeding the former concept, likely forming their new Trouble. Splinters will often start in difficult positions, but have the potential to become vastly more powerful than their original concept with a strong hand at the rudder.