Scales of Justice

Superpowered Roleplay Version 002

Introduction
Scales is a fast, functional, and fun system for narrative roleplay that was originally conceived for use via IRC. Since that time, people have been using it for forum-based games, as well as traditional tabletop roleplay and for genres ranging from high fantasy to modern espionage. Scales of Justice deals specifically with the genre of roleplay frequently referred to as supers its all about superpowered heroes clad in spandex, doing their best to save the world from similarly super-powered villains.

Characters
Characters in Scales of Justice serve, for all intents and purposes, much the same purpose as characters in other roleplaying rules do they are fictional personae, the medium through which players interact with a similarly fictional world. As in most other roleplaying rules, each player in Scales of Justice controls one designated character while the Moderator may control many.

Character Definition
Character definition in Scales of Justice is designed to be as simple and concise as possible. By stripping away all of the fluff and focusing directly on those aspects of a character that make them unique in the context of a given setting, the following method of character definition achieves the same level of depth that writing several pages of descriptive text does, it merely does so in more timely and practical fashion. All characters possess the following traits, regardless of whether theyre created by the Moderator or other players. Character Name: All characters have a name that their acquaintances know them by this name may be one bestowed upon the character at birth, a nickname, or both. In the case of a creature (i.e., a non-sentient or minimally sentient being), a name is usually a label applied by the society upon whom the game at hand focuses. Character Archetype: This is a single word or phrase that best sums up what a given character is and/or does. It may be the characters profession, their race, nationality, or other descriptor appropriate to the setting of a given game. Indeed, it may be a combination of these things. For example Royal Air Force Zeppelin Commander. Obviously, most characters will be superhuman heroes or villains focus on what the character does in their secret identity, what they did prior to becoming a full-time hero or villain, or unusual cosmetic traits. Character Attributes: Any notable skills, abilities, powers, or other attributes possessed by a given character are noted here. For example, a character defined as an Undead Sorcerer may possess the attributes Casts Necromantic Spells, Doesnt Need to Eat or Drink, Never Ages, and Wilts Small Plants in Immediate Vicinity. Moderators may want to impose limits on the total number of attributes that a character may possess, or on certain types of attributes (e.g., super powers). This is perfectly acceptable. Character Vulnerability: A characters weakness or vulnerability, their Achilles heel (e.g., a Deadly Allergy to Meteor Rocks) or a secret that may put them in harms way if discovered (e.g., Secret Identity). A character is only required to have one vulnerability, though a player may give their character multiple weaknesses if they so wish. Character Motivation: This is the characters purpose for doing what they do the thing that drives them forward in the fact of adversity. For example, a character whose parents were murdered in front of him when he was a child may be fighting crime in Big City to Avenge His Parents Death. In addition to the traits outlined above, player characters are further defined by their personal connections to the world around them. Every player should take a few moments to define three of their characters friends, contacts, and enemies (using the method outlined on the previous page). These friends, contacts, and enemies will

form the core of the non-player character cast in a given super-powered Scales of Justice campaign. So, what exactly are friends, contacts, and enemies? Read on... Friends: A characters friends are those individuals who will put themselves in harms way to aid them and not ask for anything in return. Friends will stand by you through thick an thing, good times and bad. Family members, fellow heroes, high school buddies, and other such folk are common examples of friends. Contacts: A characters contacts are those individuals who will go out on a limb for them but only for a fee. Contacts often broker information or offer services that are difficult to come by. Criminal informants, business professionals, and police officers are all common examples of contacts. Enemies: A characters enemies are those folks who will risk everything to bring them down, either damaging their reputation or causing them physical harm. Enemies may be simple everyday people with secret resentments, or they may be infamous super villains with a burning hatred bordering on insanity. In addition to defining the criteria on the previous page for each friend, contact and enemy, you will also need to define your characters relationship to these characters. An appropriate archetype (e.g., High School Sweetheart) can go a long way toward doing this, although some additional explanation will ensure that the Moderator sees things your way when he is portraying these characters.

System Basics
The following basic elements form the foundation upon which Scales of Justice is built understanding them is imperative. All players should take a few minutes to acquaint themselves with these basic elements prior to actual play, as time permits.

Narrative Structure
The presence of a defined narrative structure in games provides a method for organizing games, thus alleviating confusion and improving actual play. To this end, Scales of Justice utilizes a simple narrative structure that draws upon common genre conventions, as explained below. Panels: Panels are single, individual, scenes that feature action being undertaken by a character. For instance, a panel may depict the Vindicator kicking in the door to a criminals hideout or Lady Hemlock deflecting an enemys attack with a projected energy barrier. Panels such as these framed by other panels compose a Strip. Strips: Strips are composed of a linked series of panels and portray action that takes place in a single, self-contained, environment. For instance, a frantic chase through the back alleys of Big City or a duel between two characters perched atop a castle battlement are all examples of strips. A series of linked strips form an Issue. Issues: Issues are collections of different strips that portray action, although that action does not necessarily take place in a single locale. For instance, an issue may portray the death defying duel between Ankara and her nemesis in the courtyard of the University and elsewhere within its pages detail Nighthawks quest to infiltrate the Guild Arcane in far off Avonlea. Finally, several linked issues form a Series. Series: The series is an elaborate and complex saga composed of panels, strips, issues the series is the whole story, a sum of all its lesser parts. As you illustrate panels, organize them into strips, and collect those strips into issues, you create your own comic book series. Utilizing this basic narrative structure allows both players and Moderators to remain on the same page (no pun intended) when it comes to keeping track of the action in Scales of Justice. This, in turn, significantly reduces the number of continuity errors encountered, allowing actual play to flow smoothly.

Taking Turns in Actual Play

Actual play in Scales of Justice is divided into turns. During a turn, one player may describe a panel as they desire. Every game that utilizes Scales of Justice begins with the Moderator taking their turn, illustrating a panel that serves as a jumping off point for subsequent panels. After the Moderator has illustrated this initial panel, play proceeds clockwise around the table (or room), with each player taking a turn. Play continues in this manner until the players decide to hang up their capes for the night.

Action and Obstacles

Each player in a game utilizing Scales of Justice, with the exception of the Moderator, has two pools of points that they may spend to influence the course of a story as it unfolds. One of these pools represents heroic action, while the other represents similarly heroic obstacles to be overcome, as explained in more detail below. The Action Pool: Each player (with the exception of the Moderator) begins with an Action Pool of twelve points. These points of represent potential heroic action that a player may orchestrate for their character. Points from the Action Pool are spent to influence the course of a story in a manner that benefits a character, furthering their goals. Spent points are subtracted from the players Action Pool and added to their Obstacle Pool. The Obstacle Pool: All players (again, with the exception of the Moderator) start with zero points in their Obstacle Pool. These points represent potential adversity that a player may orchestrate for their character. Points from the Obstacle Pool are spent to influence the course of a story in a manner that hinders a character, opposing their goals. Spent points are subtracted from the players Obstacle Pool and added to their Action Pool.

Putting It All Together

Games that utilize Scales of Justice begin in media res, progress organically during actual play based upon the decisions made by players, and end when it makes sense for them to do so. Scales of Justice is about creating stories during actual play, rather than telling stories that have been mapped out far in advance (e.g., adventure modules or pre-authored campaigns). Heres how it works....

The Opening Panel

Much like a comic book, every session in a game that utilizes Scales of Justice has a specific jumping-off point, an Opening Panels that signals the start of the session and establishes the tone and atmosphere to be adhered to throughout. Such an Opening Panels is provided by the Moderator immediately prior to the start of actual play. Although certain aspects of Opening Panels are variable, the one quality that all Opening Panels have in common is that they provide an opportunity for immediate action. For instance: As the strange, hypnotic, vibrations disperse and our heroes regain their senses, they find themselves surrounded by a contingent of masked men armed with energy rifles. Whatever happens next, somebody will most assuredly be having a bad day. In the previous example, the player characters are immediately placed in a situation that (a) provides them with an opportunity for action, (b) immediately defines the premise of the game session, and (c) heavily suggests a tone of grim humor. Another example appears at the top of the following page. As Plasma Lad and the Wonder Brothers look on, Captain Justice begins to contort and slowly transform into a hideous, alien, monstrosity before their very eyes. Without warning, the thing that was formerly Captain Justice leaps forward to attack them! Moderators are encouraged to practice their development of Opening Panels, as such scenes play a vital role in defining the rest of a given game session. While it may initially appear a trivial matter to concoct such a jumping-off point, appearances can be deceiving. Practice makes perfect. If you hone your ability to deliver a good Opening Panel, your games will be better for it.

Spending Action Points

When a player spends a single point of Action, it allows them to declare the outcome of any given conflict beneficial to their character. Every point of Action that a player spends past the first (up to a total of three) allows the player to state one fact about the outcome of the conflict that the Moderator must incorporate into their description of said outcome. If a player spends more than three points of Action past the first, they narrate the entire outcome of the conflict themselves. For example: Alecs character Morning Star is pursuing a mythical gorgon through the sewers of Big City. Wishing Morning Star to corner and capture the gorgon, Alec spends three Action points. Alec spends the first point of Action to declare that the outcome of the conflict is beneficial to Morning Star, and the following two to declare that (1) Morning Star will corner the gorgon in a dead end tunnel and that (2) Morning Star will apprehend the gorgon. In this example, Alec spends enough Action points to declare that the outcome of a conflict is beneficial to his character and to state two facts about said outcome that the Moderator must incorporate into their description thereof. Three points are subtracted from Alecs Action Pool and added to his Obstacle Pool. Had Alec spent two more Action points, he could have narrated the entire outcome of the conflict himself. [Note: The facts stated by spending Action cannot contradict the outcome of the conflict. That is, a beneficial outcome is always a benefit a player cannot spend Action to state a fact that changes the outcome in question into a hindering circumstance.]

Spending Obstacle Points

When a player spends a single Obstacle point, it allows them to declare the outcome of any given conflict a hindrance to their character. Every Obstacle point that a player spends past the first (up to a total of three) allows the player to state one fact about the outcome of the conflict that the Moderator must incorporate into their description of said outcome. If a player spends more than three Obstacle points past the first, they narrate the entire outcome of the conflict themselves. For instance: Johns character, the wolfman with a heart of gold known as Silver Bullet, is battling Lady Hemlock atop the Tower of London during a raging thunderstorm. Wanting Silver Bullet to misjudge a leap and find himself hanging precariously from the towers parapet, John spends three Obstacle points. John spends the first Obstacle point to declare that the outcome of the conflict will hinder Silver Bullet, and the following Obstacle points to declare that (1) Silver Bullet misjudges a leap and (2) Silver Bullet finds himself hanging precariously from the towers edge. In this example, John spends enough Obstacle points to declare the outcome of a conflict a hindrance to his character and to state two facts about said outcome that the Moderator must incorporate into their description thereof. Three points are therefore subtracted from Johns Obstacle Pool and added to his Action Pool. Had John spent just two more Obstacle points, he could have narrated the entire outcome of the conflict himself, entirely on his own terms. [Note: The facts stated by spending Obstacle points cannot contradict the outcome of the conflict. That is, a hindering outcome is always a hindrance a player cannot spend Obstacle points to state a fact that changes the outcome into a beneficial circumstance.]

Balancing the Scales

When the number of points in a players Obstacle Pool equals or exceeds the number of points in their Action Pool, they may not spend any Action points until the number of points in their Obstacle Pool is less than the number of points in their Action Pool. For example: Holly has seven Obstacle points and three Action points. Holly cannot spend any Action points until the number of points in her Obstacle Pool is reduced to less than the number of points in her Action Pool.

If a player currently has more points in their Action Pool than they do in their Obstacle Pool, but wants to spend an amount of those Action points that will subsequently raise the number of points in their Obstacle Pool to either equal or exceed the number of remaining points in their Action Pool they can do so. The aforementioned rule does not go into effect until after such an expenditure takes place. For instance: Bruce has seven points in his Action Pool and five points in his Obstacle Pool, but he wants to spend five points of Action to overcome a conflict and narrate the results himself. He may do so, but this will drop the number of points in his Action Pool to two and raise the number of points in his Obstacle Pool to ten after this, Bruce cannot spend any more Action points until the number of points in his Obstacle Pool is again reduced to less than the number of points in his Action Pool. Overcoming challenges clears the way for new obstacles to present themselves in a characters life. It is in this manner that Action and Obstacles drive one another in Scales of Justice. Revolving, not unlike a great wheel, the Dramatic Cycle drives characters to pick their battles carefully. That said, there is one exception to this rule in games that utilize Scales of Justice...

Death and Dying

In Scales of Justice, death is merely another hindrance. As a general rule, a character only dies when their player spends the Obstacle points to make it happen and states that it does. That said, is a player carelessly places their character in a potentially lethal situation (as John did in the previous example taking place atop the Tower of London), the Game Moderator may choose to Lower the Hammer. When a Game Moderator declares that they are going to Lower the Hammer, they are signaling their intent to end the life of a player character. At this point, the life of the player character in question is in their hands unless the player of that character spends all of their remaining Action points in a last ditch effort to survive. If a player does so, their character has staved off death for the time being. When depleting their Action Pool completely by spending points of Action in order to stay the hammer of the gods, a player ignores the rule of balanced Balancing the Scales that usually applies to spending points of Action. When it comes to matters of life and death, heroes are often willing to risk it all and in the interest of creating a moment of extreme dramatic tension, Scales of Justice lets them do exactly that.

Character Development
Characters in a comic book dont exist in a vacuum, nor should characters in a roleplaying game every adventure that a character experiences has the potential to alter the very essence of who they are. In games that utilize Scales of Justice, tracking such character development is a simple affair, given that characters are defined entirely by written words in the first place. Whenever a character gains a new defining attribute, tracking the development is as simple as making a note of the new attribute. Similarly, should a character gain a new weakness (or triumph over an old one), charting such developments is a simple matter of writing such things down on paper. In fact, charting any change in a characters composition is handled in exactly the same manner.

Final Words
These rules were inspired by Indian karmic law, the writing advice of Raymond Chandler, a handful of other excellent RPGs, and my fathers Silver Age comic book collection (which I later inherited in my youth). These rules were refined thanks to feedback from the Art of Game Design community at RPGnet and my friend in Poland, Kordian Krawczyk. Thank you one and all for your contributions and encouragements.

The Scales FAQ

Q: How do attributes work? A: Attributes in Scales serve as narrative benchmarks for both players and the Game Moderator, rather than quantified measures. For instance, anybody can pick up a gun and pull the trigger, but if a character has the attribute Master Marksman, whenever they fire a gun it will be described in a manner befitting that attribute (i.e., suitably awesome). Ultimately, different attributes represent different things. Some attributes are simple representations of mundane skills (i.e., things that anybody can do), but things your character does notably well (firing a gun, for example). Other attributes are special powers that a character cannot perform without possessing said attribute (e.g., shooting lasers out of one's eyes). All attributes are representative of things that you want to serve as a focal point for narrative that involves your character. Superhuman heroes with "Monstrous Strength" will get to showcase that ability a lot, while the aforementioned "Master Marksman" will have plenty of opportunities to play with firearms in combat situations. Attributes let players say "This is what I want my character to be known for!" and "When my character does this thing, it will be completely awesome!" most games leave both of these things entirely up to random dice rolls. In Scales, players get to set these parameters as they see fit and realize them during actual play when they want to, rather than when the dice allow them to. Q: Why let players define NPCs? A: Because it ensures that the players have a hand in shaping the themes of a given game and the setting in which it takes place. Too often the only investment that players have in given game comes in the form of their own character and, thus, when and if their interest in that character wanes, so does their interest in the game being played. Allowing players to define NPCs ensures that players have a vested interest in a given game that extends beyond their own charcter (well, so long as the Game Moderator makes use of these NPCs). Think of each NPC as a direct conduit to the player much as the PC is a representation of what or who a player would like to be, NPCs are representations of who they want to be surrounded by or fight against.

Q: Who makes up the facts? A: Players. If players spend points to state a fact about a conflict outcome, the Game Moderator must incorporate it into the outcome description. That said, if the player doesn't take the time to be specific about the facts that they state, the Game Moderator is free to take liberties with them as he sees fit (so long as he does not turn a beneficial conflict outcome into a hindrance or vice-versa). Scales is, despite not using quantified measurements or counters on the tabletop, a very strategic game. If players are careless when stating facts (especially when stating facts about a hindering outcome), they may give the Game Moderator a lot of ammunition to use against their characters (see Death & Dying in these rules for an example of how a Game Moderator can exploit player carelessness). Scales is more than an exercise in making simple decisions. Scales is an exercise in making intelligent, smart, and informed decisions with an eye toward avoiding consequences. Q: Why no randomizers? A: Scales was originally designed for fast-paced, extemporaneous, roleplay via IRC. Randomizers don't work well for those things in my experience, thus I avoided incorporating them into the blueprint for Scales. The good news is, it worked Scales has been used by several people to facilitate both IRC and forum-based roleplay. Q: Can I run adventure modules with Scales? A. Maybe. I honestly haven't tried to do this. Chances are, though, trying to run such a pre-scripted adventure with Scales will produce undesirable results. Scales is designed to facilitate the creation of stories during actual play, rather than the telling (or, more correctly, re-telling) of pre-authored plots such as those found in adventure modules. Q: How can I contact you with more questions? A: Email me at d6todamage@gmail.com

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