PLAYING THE GAME

A battle in Mortisphere is a moment within a larger story.

The outcome of a single encounter can determine what happens next. Victories create opportunities. Failures create consequences. Every decision made by a crew changes its future.

A game of Mortisphere is played through a series of scenarios. Each scenario describes the situation, the objectives, the opposing forces and any special rules required for that conflict.

While every scenario is different, the basic structure remains the same.

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THE SCENARIO

Before a battle begins, players prepare the scenario.

The scenario explains:

- The location of the conflict. - The Areas involved. - The objectives. - Any special rules. - The forces involved. - The possible outcomes.

Players then prepare their crews and place their members within the Areas described by the scenario.

The scenario is not simply a battlefield.

It is a situation.

The environment, objectives and events around the conflict are just as important as the creatures fighting within it.

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AREAS

Every scenario is divided into Areas.

An Area represents a meaningful location within the conflict.

An Area might be:

- A ruined settlement. - A forgotten machine complex. - A biological wasteland. - A battlefield among ancient remains. - A place where something valuable has survived.

The number of Areas depends on the scenario, but most conflicts involve between two and five.

Players record which Area each member of their crew occupies.

A member can only interact with what exists in their current Area unless a rule or ability allows otherwise.

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ROUNDS

A battle is divided into rounds.

During each round, players alternate activating members of their crews.

The player whose turn it is chooses one member of their crew and activates them.

After that activation is complete, the opposing player activates one of their members.

Players continue alternating until all eligible members have acted.

Once every required member has acted, the round ends and a new round begins.

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ACTIVATIONS

When a member is activated, they may perform actions.

An activation represents a creature, machine or organism committing its attention and effort to a task.

A member may:

- Move between Areas. - Attack an enemy. - Complete an objective. - Use an ability. - Perform another action allowed by their rules or the scenario.

The exact actions available to a member depend on their profile, equipment and the circumstances of the scenario.

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ACTIONS

Actions are the foundation of every decision in Mortisphere.

A player must decide whether to:

- Advance toward an objective. - Engage an enemy. - Protect a valuable member. - Risk a powerful attack. - Abandon one position to gain another advantage.

Because crews are made of individuals, every activation matters.

A single survivor reaching the correct location at the correct time may decide the fate of an entire battle.

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OBJECTIVES

Battles in Mortisphere are rarely fought simply to destroy the opposing crew.

The universe is full of things worth fighting over.

A scenario may require a crew to:

- Recover an ancient relic. - Hold a location. - Destroy a threat. - Escape before disaster arrives. - Protect a valuable individual. - Gather resources. - Complete a dangerous task.

The opposing crew may have completely different goals.

Victory belongs to the crew that achieves its purpose.

Not necessarily the crew that leaves the most bodies behind.

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THE UNEXPECTED

Mortisphere is not a predetermined story.

Dice decide outcomes.

Scenarios react to what happens.

Crews change because of their experiences.

A plan that appears perfect may collapse.

A desperate action may succeed.

A small, insignificant creature may accomplish something that changes an entire campaign.

The final age is unpredictable.

The only certainty is that something will go wrong.