Downtime (PW)

Fox in the Dark logo

Starfox's Princess World

Magic Shields

Part of a princess's repertoire of tricks is the ability to magically protect herself. Although they're referred to as 'shields' they can take any form, such as a glimmering armour aura, a burst of elegant motion that allows a dodge, a stern glance that stops an arrow in midair, or any other protective magical effect the princess likes. Generally speaking this protection will work against physical or magical attacks, but is not effective against social attacks. Not even a magic shield can defend against the cutting remarks of a rival princess. The GM will judge when a magic shield can or cannot be used.

Using a shield costs two prep points and reduces harm by one level. If the shield is of fine quality, either due to the kingdom boon Overprotective or something else, then it only costs one prep point. Shields can be used as long as the princess has prep points, although of course this means that other useful items or magic cannot be used.

Complications

Being a princess is an involved affair. You've got all these factions with all their conflicting ideals, you've got your neighbour kingdoms with all their nonsense, you've got rival princesses with all their drama, you've got elementals hammering against your borders, you've got the wild lands where literally anything could become a problem, you've got subjects to protect and parties to attend and—well, it's just a lot, is all. Frontier kingdoms in particular come with more than their share of troubles, often unexpected. Thus, complications.

Once a kingdom affair has been resolved, successfully or unsuccessfully, after Chaos has been determined and the princesses are just starting to feel like they might have earned a nice bath, the GM generates a complication using the following list. Roll 1d6; the GM can choose to take the face value, or add the kingdom's Chaos to the roll. The roll can either be made in the open or in secret, and the complication can take effect immediately or at an appropriate moment later on.

When faced with a complication, princesses can either ignore it or deal with it. Ignoring a complication will often come with a cost (usually Treasure or Standing), and it could lead to further problems down the line. Dealing with a complication will often take a free time action, start a progress clock, or require a kingdom affair to properly sort out. Delegating a complication to someone else is also an option, such as a group of subjects. Good luck with that.

For more information on many of these complications please see the second Frontier Kingdoms sourcebook, The Wild Frontier.

Complication Roll Table

1. Border Problems
2. Something's Missing
3. Local Trouble
4. Unexpected Visitor
5. Could You Possibly...
6. Wild Nonsense
7. Teleportation Circle Malfunction
8. Elementals Gathering
9. Teleportation Circle Malfunction
10. Monster Lair
11. Living Dungeon
12. Rogue Library
13. Treasure Palace
14. + Destructive Surge

(1) Border Problems

Either the wild lands border, or the border to the tamed lands, or maybe even a border with a neighbouring kingdom. Whichever border it is, there's some kind of trouble happening there. Maybe monsters are gathering in the wild lands, or there are some weird buildings or items manifesting out there, or the shields are acting up. If it's one of your neighbouring frontier kingdoms then maybe they need a favour, or they've got a problem with something you've been doing, or they're just stirring up trouble. Maybe they think that you've been moving the border shields to take over THEIR land—or maybe they've been shifting the border shields to take over YOUR land.

(2) Something's Missing

Maybe it's a subject, maybe it's the bakery, maybe it's your favourite hairclip. Questions that might be asked include, who took it? Where was it taken? How can we find it? If this problem is ignored, the missing thing might just turn up on its own. Then again, the princesses might not enjoy just where and how the thing appears...

(3) Local Trouble

Someone in the kingdom is causing trouble. This could be one of the player princesses, it could be some of your subjects or an expert or some other personality within the kingdom. Questions to ask include, who's being troubled? How serious is it? What can we do to fix it or apologise? Who is in the right here?

(4) Unexpected Visitor

It might be someone you're happy to see, or the last person you wanted to turn up at your castle door. The GM might like to make a fortune roll to see how welcome the visitor is. It could be a faction representative, or a group of adventurers wanting to camp in your kingdom to do some wild land exploration. Maybe a group of wandering princesses have arrived in their travelling castle, parking in the nearby wild lands to calm a severely chaotic area. It could be a group of Silver Masks hunting down a particularly dangerous elemental, it could be that nice princess you met at a party stopping by for a visit, it could just be your rival again, here to mess with your biz. Whoever or whatever it is, they're not making things any simpler by being here.

(5) Could You Possibly...

Someone needs a favour. It's probably your patron, or a faction that you have positive relations with, but then again it might be one that you don't get along with, or one you haven't had dealings with before. Refusing this request will either cost Standing equal to the Tier of the faction or group making the request, or lower your relations with them by one. Questions to ask include, what is the favour? Why are they coming to you? Is this something only you can do? Are you going to be rewarded for it?

(6) Wild Nonsense

Living right next to the wild lands comes with its own set of challenges. The raw magic in the area can manifest in all sorts of ways. Maybe there's a sort of ghost thing hanging around your kingdom now, floating around and making people uncomfortable. Maybe a group of monsters have turned up, claiming to be nice and begging for refuge. Maybe it's just regular monsters, rampaging around and being a nuisance. Maybe all the sheep in the kingdom have started chanting about taxation without representation. Whatever it is, it's up to the princesses to decide what to do about it.

(7/9) Teleportation Circle Malfunction

This thing again. Out near the border teleportation circles often act up, due to wild magic interfering with their function. Generally a problem with the circle means that it just can't be used, although the malfunction might be more complicated than that, zapping people to random kingdoms or way out into the wild lands, or maybe even bringing things through that the princesses then have to deal with. Solutions to teleportation circle problems might involve free time actions spent investigating/fixing, or Reaching Out to the Teleportation Administration for their expert help. If this complication isn't dealt with then the princesses are going to have a hard time travelling anywhere that isn't very local. In addition, teleportation circle problems have the tendency to escalate exponentially. Better dealt with sooner rather than later.

(8) Elementals Gathering

Elementals are a fact of life in a frontier kingdom. Wild magic sometimes grounds itself in a twig, or a rock, or a puddle, or just the warmth of a particularly sunny day, and then that twig or whatever attracts more wild magic, and before you know it you've got an elemental on your hands. Elementals tend to grow exponentially, especially once they're big enough to start moving around on their own. They tend to be simple creatures, not focused on anything but seeking out more magic to feed on. Know what's a tasty snack that's just bursting with magic? Frontier kingdom border shields. So now you've got at least one elemental at your border, its Tier at least equal to the local Wild, feasting on the magic from the shields. Someone's probably going to have to do something about that.

(10) Monster Lair

Monster lairs just pop up everywhere in Princess World, like enormous malignant toadstools. Even in the tamed lands they're a problem. Anyway, one has appeared in your kingdom. The GM decides just what kind of monsters they are and how big the monster lair is. On the positive side of things, monster lairs usually have Treasure inside. Questions to ask include, who first spotted the lair? What have the monsters done already? Can they be reasoned with? Where did the lair pop up? How do the subjects feel about this?

(11) Living Dungeon

Living dungeons aren't actually alive, even if they do move around and sometimes breathe and talk. They're not necessarily bad either, although they're often filled with monsters or rebel princesses seeking shelter. There's usually Treasure in a dungeon, along with a relic or two. They also have a dungeon heart, which can be anything from a person to an item to an actual giant heart. Sometimes you can talk to a dungeon's heart, if you reach it, and ask it questions, or request a boon, or just have a nice chat.

Living dungeons have a Tier, although it's not related to your kingdom's Wild. Roll fortune if you like, and take that as the dungeon's Tier. This determines how big the dungeon is, and possibly also how confusing its layout is, how deadly and baffling its traps, and how dangerous its denizens. Questions to ask include, did the dungeon just arrive nearby or was it uncovered? What does it look like? Is it causing any problems? Has anyone taken an interest in it?

(12) Rogue Library

Rogue libraries are off-limits to frontier princesses. Well above your level of expertise, just far too much for you to handle. So if one pops up in the nearby wild lands, as appears to have just happened, I recommend that you just spend a free time action Reaching Out to the Universal Librarians and be done with it, that's the sensible course of action here.

However. Should a princess desire knowledge—perhaps seeking the answer to a tricky question, or looking for dirt on their rivals, or hoping for books related to their indulgence or a long term project—then she might dare to enter the rogue library. Doing so is definitely going to be a challenge, with the library's Tier being at least the kingdom's Wild and most likely higher. It's very easy to destabilise a rogue library, too, and they're always filled with traps and puzzles and often timey-wimey nonsense. If a rogue library destabilises while you're still inside it then you could easily end up halfway across Princess World, deep in the wild lands with no clear path home. Perhaps worse, if the Universal Librarians figure out that you were responsible for messing up a rogue library then a drop in relations is just going to be the start of your problems.

Still, all that tempting information is just there. Hard to resist the allure of knowledge, isn't it, princess.

(13) Treasure Palace

Excitingly, a treasure palace has appeared in the wilds near the kingdom's border. It's a big one, too, the Tier at least the kingdom's Wild+1. Ignoring this won't come with any negative effects, but if you can get inside the palace quick enough you might be able to snag the core—plus whatever other treasure is inside. On the other hand treasure palaces are pretty much always crawling with elementals and other monsters. You might also have to contend with other treasure hunters. Your rivals from the next kingdom over have almost certainly noticed it too. So what are you gonna do, princess?

(14+) Destructive Surge

Oh dear. The wild magic around the kingdom has just gone absolutely bonkers. This isn't a normal wild magic surge, this is something much worse. Maybe it's a massively destructive storm, or explosions of glowing energy, or an enormous elemental. Questions include, what form does the surge take? What damage has it done already? Who can we ask to help us? In any case, the GM should choose a consequence or make a fortune roll:

1-3: +1 Wild (the surge is like a magnet for elementals and raw magic)

4/5: -1 Shield (the surge severely damages your border shields)

6: -4 Standing or -1 relations with a faction (your kingdom's reputation

suffers)

Free Time

Princesses aren't just all work work work, you know. In between dealing with kingdom affairs they sometimes manage to grab a few precious hours of free time. Of course they usually end up spending their free time on kingdom-related things anyway, but still.

During a free time phase each princess may take up to two actions, unless their kingdom is at war (has -3 relations with a group), in which case they may only take one. Additional actions may be taken at a cost of one Treasure each. If a princess didn't take part in the kingdom affair then she might get an additional free time action, at the GM's discretion.

Each subject group in the kingdom may also take one action during the free time phase. See the Subjects section (pg 41) for details.

Calm The Wilds

Any princess can attempt to reduce the level of Chaos and wild magic near the kingdom's border. Describe how you are acting to reduce chaos and calm things down, then make an action roll. Reduce Chaos according to the result:

1-3: -1 Chaos

4/5: -2 Chaos

6: -3 Chaos

Critical: -5 Chaos

Taking a Calm The Wilds action also removes one tick from the Elementals & Monsters relations clock. Calm The Wilds rolls may not be escalated.

Training

When you train, mark XP in a core trait or Heart and describe what you're doing to improve yourself.

Borrow Something Special

Using this action allows the princess to either borrow one special item for herself, or to equip a subject group with common items. For example, she might know that the next kingdom affair will involve an extended trek into the wild lands to search for a missing girl, and so request protective equipment for the search party. Or she might want something special for herself, maybe an anti-elemental weapon or charm.

When using this action, roll the kingdom's Tier. The result indicates the quality of the item you're borrowing, using the kingdom's Tier as a base. On a partial success, an item of the kingdom's Tier has been borrowed. On a full success, add one to the item's quality. On a crit, add two to the item's quality. On a miss, the item is not available. The princess may spend Treasure in order to increase the result of the roll by one per Treasure spent (eg a failure becomes a partial success, partial success becomes full success). Note that a prep point must be spent to have this item during an affair.

Indulge Indulgence

By spending a free time action the princess may roll a number of dice equal to the core trait associated with their indulgence, and subtract the highest result from their Weight. Note that this is always a d6 roll, and cannot be escalated.

If the result of an indulgence action clears more Weight than the princess has accumulated then she has fallen into obsession. Choose one negative consequence:

Overspent

You've accidentally spent too much money on your indulgence. Pay one Treasure.

Stayed Up Late

You stayed up well past your bedtime pursuing your indulgence. Take the level 1 harm 'drained'. If you already have 'drained' then take the level 2 harm 'exhausted'. These harms cannot be resisted, and cannot be removed until after the next kingdom affair. What Day Is It: You're so focused on your indulgence that you lose track of time. Either spend an additional free time action or miss the next kingdom affair (in which case you must play a different character, or else sit it out entirely).

Attract Attention

And not the kind you'd want. The strength of your passion for this indulgence has made your kingdom a target, either from the wild lands or somewhere else. Increase the kingdom's Chaos by +2.

Manifestation

Princess obsessions can take on physical form. The very spirit of your indulgence is following you now, and it's very distracting.

It's Complicated

Roll a new complication, from the chart in the Complications section (page 85), with a d6 (don't add Chaos). It's probably something

Reach Out

There are a lot of things, in this Princess World, that are beyond the capabilities of a small unimportant group of frontier princesses. Some clocks just can't be directly influenced by a princess's actions under normal circumstances. It's only the machinations of factions that can change the course of things.

However, you should never underestimate the power of a well-worded letter, or a perfectly timed meet cute, or a productive afternoon of tea and scones and agendas. With the Reach Out free time action princesses can attempt to sway a faction, another kingdom, or an Important Person one way or the other towards those big picture clocks and their kingdom-affecting consequences. Describe how your princess is acting to influence, then roll an aspect. The GM will set effect based on relations with that faction, Tiers, and the appropriateness of your aspect and approach. On achieving a standard effect or better you've successfully swayed the representative towards your way of thinking. That faction will, regarding this one matter, lean the way you want. If a limited effect is achieved then something else will have to be done. Maybe another free time action will have to be spent, or Treasure or Standing, or a promise will have to be made.

Factions will generally only change their position on an issue by one order of magnitude at a time. That is, if a faction supports or is opposed to an issue then a successful Reach Out action will change their position to neutral. If a faction is neutral on an issue then a successful Reach Out action will push them into supporting or opposing the matter.

If a princess achieves a standard effect on a Reach Out action, the faction's position will change for the length of this session. If the princess achieved a greater or higher level of effect then the faction's position will change permanently, or at least until something significant happens.

It might take more than a single action to change a faction's position on an issue. In that case the GM should create a clock, with successful Reach Out actions filling in segments according to the level of effect. Once the clock is filled, that faction will change its stance.

You may push yourself on a Reach Out action by spending Standing instead of, or as well as, Weight. For example, if you spend 2 Standing and mark 2 Weight you could increase effect by two levels, or add two extra dice to the roll, or add one extra dice and also increase effect by one level.

Improving Relations

Reach Out can be used to improve relations with a faction, another kingdom, or a single Important Person. In that case the level of effect achieved by this action translates to ticks on that group's relations clock. personal and related to your indulgence. Whether you get the other princesses involved or not is up to you.

Requesting Financial Support

Reach Out actions can also be used to exchange Standing for Treasure. Reduce Standing by two, choose the faction you're targeting, and roll an appropriate aspect. Your kingdom's Tier measured against the faction's Tier (modified by relations) determines your base level of effect. For example, if your kingdom's Tier is 1 and the faction's Tier is 3, and you have +1 relations with that faction, then your base level of effect is limited. Remember that you can spend extra Standing to push yourself on this roll, as well as marking Weight. You can also trade position for effect, or even escalate the action. Of course both of those options carry potential consequences, but being a frontier princess is all about taking risks to get what you need. Any given frontier kingdom may only request financial support once per faction per session. If you want to do it more than once then you're going to have to target a different faction each time. This applies regardless of success or failure.

On a fumble you receive no Treasure, and have annoyed the faction with your request or otherwise damaged relations with them. Reduce relations with that faction by -1. This consequence may be resisted.

On a failure you receive one Treasure.

On a partial success you receive up to two Treasure.

On a full success you receive up to three Treasure.

On a critical success you receive up to five Treasure.

Increased (or reduced) effect on this action equates to a greater or lesser amount of received Treasure; plus or minus one per level of effect. The maximum amount of Treasure that can be gained by this action is equal to the faction's Tier. For example, if the faction's Tier is two and you roll a critical success then you receive two Treasure, not five.

Recover

Like it or not, frontier life comes with its share of injuries. Fortunately, princesses naturally recover quickly and as such may always take one recover action per free time period without spending an action. Make a roll using Tough, applying all bonuses from the kingdom and other sources. (So if the kingdom has the Healing Breeze boon and a princess with the Healer special ability, during each free time period all princesses would roll to recover using their Tough aspect with +1d from Healer and +1d and increased effect from Healing Breeze, for a total of +2d and increased effect.)

If a princess has more harm to heal after this then they may spend a free time action to further recover. If you have an expert, subject group, or fellow princess who can provide treatment then roll with their quality or an appropriate aspect. If you don't have anyone to heal you, roll using your Tough with reduced effect. Based on the result mark ticks on your healing clock:

1-3: One segment

4/5: Two segments

6: Three segments

Crit: Four segments

When you fill your healing clock, reduce each instance of harm on your sheet by one level then clear the clock. If you have more segments to mark, they roll over. If there's no more harm to heal you should still mark any overheal, and use them in the next recover roll the princess makes.

You may heal yourself if you have the Healer special ability.

Note that it's the recovering character that takes the recovery action. Healing someone else does not cost a free time action for the healer. Example: Stella has the level 3 harm 'broken arm' as well as the level 1 harms 'drained' and 'bloody nose'. After filling her healing clock, she removes both level 1 harms and reduces her level 3 'broken arm' to a level 2 'arm in cast'.

Take A Break

Sometimes you don't want to do anything at all during your free time, despite everything that's going on in the kingdom. Sometimes you want your free time to be, you know, free time.

Taking this action means you're not doing anything in particular, or maybe you are, but it's certainly nothing productive. Feel free to describe what you're doing, or not doing.

When you take a break, mark one segment in your healing clock and clear one Weight.

Taking a break does not count as indulging your indulgence.

Long Term Projects

When you work on a long term project describe what your character does to advance the project clock, and roll one of your aspects. Mark segments on the clock according to your result:

1-3: One segment

4/5: Two segments

6: Three segments

Crit: Five segments

A long term project can cover a wide variety of activities, such as researching magical artefacts, investigating a mystery, improving relations, writing reports, changing your character's indulgence, filling party clocks, and so on. Based on the goal of the project, the GM will tell you the clock(s) to create and suggest a method by which you might make progress. They will also tell you any costs involved, and what special things you might need to advance. In order to work on a project you might first have to achieve the means to pursue it, which can be a project in itself. For example, you might want to make friends with a member of a certain faction, but you have no connection to them. You could first work on a project to attend parties where you might have the opportunity to make that first contact. Once that's accomplished, you could start a new project to form a friendly relationship.

At the GM's discretion a long term project could add an improvement to the kingdom, but this will likely require large or multiple clocks and special resources as well as a significant amount of Treasure. You might also need to involve a faction, which would require Reach Out actions.

Reports

Part of being a frontier princess is reporting back to your patron faction. Your focus will help determine what sort of reports you might be expected to write. Magic Researchers in particular are expected to submit regular reports on relics and phenomenon they've researched. Treasure Guardians might write reports on treasures they've found or locations they've looted, Wild Claimers might write reports about steps they've taken to improve their kingdom, Social Climbers might write post-action reports on parties, and Monster Hunters might write journals of their adventurous hunts. When writing a report create a four segment clock and use relevant actions to fill it (Bookworm and Sensible are always useful for report writing, but other aspects might also be effective). Filling one report clock creates a basic report of quality 0. Each additional four segment clock that is filled increases the report's quality by one.

When a report is submitted, roll its quality. Add ticks to the faction relations clock according to the level of success, and an additional tick for each level of quality. (1-3: One tick, 4/5: Two ticks, 6: Three ticks, Crit: Five ticks.) Note that neither Tier nor relations are factors here. If the GM is amenable then Standing, Treasure, Kingdom XP, or other rewards could also be given.

For example, a group of princesses have worked hard and put together a quality 2 report. After submitting the report they roll two dice, getting a one and a five. Four ticks are added to the relations clock with their patron faction; two for the dice result, and two for the quality of the report.

Investigate

Princesses often need to research things, or get the hot gossip on a kingdom or faction, or use magic to look into the nearby wild lands—perhaps searching for something in particular, perhaps just making sure there aren't any nasty surprises out there.

If a princess wants information on something, she can use a free time action to Investigate. She should name her subject of inquiry, describe how she's investigating, and roll an appropriate aspect; Bookworm is the go-to research aspect, while Weird and maybe Nosy are suitable aspects for magical divination. If the princess is using some sort of device to help her then Tinker might be appropriate. If she's questioning her contacts then a social aspect like Chatty or Foxy might be useful. Sometimes Tier will come into play, especially if the thing has defences against divination or is particularly esoteric. Ultimately it's up to the GM to determine how effective the princess's approach might be. Princesses may push themselves, escalate, trade position and so on to increase their effect on this roll.

Success awards hold; one for limited effect, two for standard, three for great. Princesses may use hold at any time to ask a question about their subject of inquiry, which the GM should answer honestly. If the information gained from these questions can be applied within the context of an action the princess might gain improved position or increased effect, or an extra dice in the case of an engagement roll.

Sometimes an investigation is too big to handle with a single action. In that case the GM will create a long term project clock. Once it's filled the princess will gain either two or three hold on the subject; GM's choice. Example: The princesses have discovered a monster lair in the nearby wild lands, in an area that also contains things they need for a long term project. One of the princesses decides to Investigate the monster lair, rolling with Nosy to represent her efforts; she's using magical divination and also poking around in the nearby area to see what she turns up. The GM decides that this action will have a standard effect. She gets a partial success on her roll, which the GM judges to be a limited effect unless the princess pays two Weight to push it into standard. The princess decides to just take the limited effect and gets one hold on the monster lair, which she uses immediately to ask "What weakness does the lair have?"

Example: The princesses are having trouble with a neighbouring kingdom. One princess decides to Investigate to try to dig up any dirt on them. She rolls using Bookworm, and describes the action as her princess going through official faction records, newspapers, party reports, anything publicly available. The GM decides that this approach will have a limited effect—the princess just isn't likely to turn up anything juicy. However, she manages to get a critical success on her roll, and so the GM judges her efforts to have a standard effect. Somehow the princess read between the lines and connected a bunch of dots, and now has two hold to spend asking questions about this particular kingdom's less wholesome elements.

Winding Down

The days of a frontier princess are just packed, this is true. Even her so-called 'free time' is usually spent doing things to help grow her kingdom, or just stop it from collapsing. But, you know, there are times you have to say, no, I don't care how much work there is to do, I'm stealing ten minutes and just simply stopping. Have a cup of tea and a biscuit while you stand on your janky little castle's balcony, looking out at the tiny pocket kingdom that is your responsibility. Perhaps you'll be joined by your fellow princesses, those who you struggle beside each and every day. You might have a nice chat about things, share some memories of your academy days, talk about your hopes and dreams and what you all might do once this is all over. And then, of course, inevitably, you'll all get back to work.

The Winding Down segment and downtime discussions offer a chance for you princesses to relax for a moment, to unwind a little, to learn about each other, and perhaps even yourselves.

Downtime Discussions

Downtime discussions take place while the princesses are (theoretically) relaxing, perhaps spending a few minutes watching the sun set together, or as they all share an evening meal, or at night in between plans for the following day. Downtime discussions can be about anything, but on the following pages there are some prompts to kick things off. Pick one or roll for it, then chat amongst yourselves. Alternately everyone involved could roll or pick something they'd like to talk about, and you could play out a scene involving everyone's choices.

Once the discussion has finished everyone involved should decide if it was a Fitness, Wit, Charm, Whimsy, or Heart conversation. Do this secretly, perhaps by turning a d6 to a certain side; 1 for Fitness, 2 for Wit, 3 for Charm, 4 for Whimsy, 5 or 6 for Heart. Everyone reveals their choice simultaneously, then marks XP in whatever they revealed. If everyone revealed the same choice, also mark Kingdom XP.

Unfortunately time ticks on, and the precious minutes you stole to just sit around chatting have passed. How indulgent! How unproductive! Back to work, princess, or perhaps time to sleep. You'll have to wait until the next session to have another downtime discussion, unless everyone who wants to keep chatting marks Weight for shirking duties or staying up past bedtimes. In that case go ahead and pick something else to talk about, or roll again on the table, and afterwards mark XP again.

Although downtime discussions usually take place during the post-affair phase, they could also pop up before or even during the session's kingdom affair. Whenever you've all got a moment to just chat, really. No matter when they occur, you only get XP for a downtime discussion once per session unless you pay Weight.

Beliefs

Frontier princesses live busy lives full of pressing demands and heavy responsibility, with hard decisions to make every day. In such a mercurial and stressful life it's common to form beliefs, solid things that a princess can hold on to in the midst of chaos and confusion.

Beliefs can be about yourself, another princess, your kingdom, one of the factions, an individual, an aspect of the world such as elementals or monsters, other kingdoms, your speciality, a personal code of honour or motto, or anything else you might come up with.

Princesses can form beliefs at any time during a session, but the Winding Down phase is often when they're solidified.

When you form a new belief, write it down. It might be something like "I can rely on my fellow princesses" or "Our patron faction doesn't care about us" or "My kingdom is worth fighting for" or "I have to protect her" or "We can't trust our neighbours" or "I really like ducks." In general, avoid beginning beliefs with phrases like 'I feel' or 'I think'. If it's a belief, it's something that your princess is 100% about. Too solid to doubt.

You may form one new belief in each session. Your first belief comes without cost, but mark Weight for each subsequent belief you form. It's not a light thing, to believe so many things so strongly.

Instead of forming a new belief you can alter an existing belief. Maybe something has changed, or your thinking has shifted. Altering a belief does not cost Weight.

If you act on a belief as part of an action, you may push yourself once without paying Weight.

At the end of each session, during the advancement phase, if you formed or acted on a belief then mark XP, or two XP if it happened multiple times or in a dramatic way.

Sometimes a belief will be shattered. It's all part of life and growth as a frontier princess. If you can no longer believe something then cross out the belief, mark Weight, and also mark Heart XP.

If one of your beliefs shattered during this session then forming a new belief does not cost Weight.

Conversation Prompts (1d100)

1. What was the worst argument you ever had?
2. Who do you admire most?
3. What's the best compliment you ever received?
4. What do you all agree about?
5. What was the best meal you ever ate?
6. Who or what makes you laugh?
7. What's the most insulted you've ever been?
8. Did you ever have a nickname?
9. What do you miss about the academy?
10. Who was your favourite teacher?
11. What was your favourite assignment?
12. What kind of behaviour can you not stand?
13. What creeps you out?
14. Are you scared of anything?
15. What's your favourite aesthetic or style?
16. What's your favourite piece of advice or saying?
17. What common interest do you all share?
18. What is your least favourite weather or season?
19. What is your favourite weather or season?
20. Did you like it at the academy?
21. What is your favourite animal?
22. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
23. What's your home kingdom like?
24. Is anyone else in your family a princess?
25. What's your favourite monster?
26. Is being a frontier princess like you expected?
27. Do you like being a frontier princess?
28. Did you choose to be a frontier princess?
29. What is your least favourite food?
30. What is your favourite food?
31. Do you have any phobias?
32. How did you get interested in your indulgence?
33. How did you choose your speciality? Or did it choose you?
34. Were you always a princess? If not, how old were
35. when you changed? How did it happen?
36. How do you feel about the factions?
37. How do you feel about our patron faction?
38. How do you feel about our neighbouring frontier kingdoms?
39. How do you feel about our neighbouring controlled lands kingdom?
40. Do you think you'll stay in this kingdom?
41. What was your last nightmare?
42. What's a nice dream you've had?
43. What's your favourite holiday or special day or event?
44. Where do you feel most safe?
45. What is your most treasured possession?
46. If you could change one thing about our kingdom, what would it be?
47. What do you wish you could do that you can't?
48. Do you like to cook? What's your go-to meal?
49. Are you allergic to anything?
50. Do you have any regrets?
51. What's the worst trouble you ever got into?
52. Have you ever been rescued by anyone?
53. Do you have a hero?
54. What's the luckiest thing that ever happened to you?
55. What's the worst stroke of fortune you ever had?
56. If our vault was full to bursting, what would you spend the Treasure on?
57. Do you think what we do here matters?
58. Did you have any friends at the academy? What were they like?
59. What's your bedroom like?
60. Do you sleep well?
61. What's the weirdest thing you've ever seen?
62. What's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?
63. What do you think about The Circle or the Silver Masks?
64. What do you think about the Noble Traders or the Royal Architects?
65. What do you think about the Strongwall Group or Brave New Lands?
66. What do you think about the Guidance Collective or Afternoon Tea Time?
67. What do you think about Exploration Unlimited or the Hunter Guild?
68. What do you think about the Wandering Stars or the Universal Librarians?
69. What do you think about the Luxury Seekers, the Wild Lands Protection Committee, or Nice Monsters?
70. What do you think about Speculation Wildhearts or Nowhere?
71. What do you think about the Teleportation Administration or the Scientific Promotion Society?
72. What do you think about the Scarred Hearts or the Sparkle Union?
73. What do you think about the Kingdom Defenders or the Starlight Investigators?
74. Do you have any famous family members or ancestors?
75. Do you have any siblings? Are any of them princesses?
76. Do you think you're more greedy or generous?
77. What's the worst thing about being a frontier princess?
78. What do you think of our faction rep?
79. Did you ever have any pets?
80. What do you think of our subjects?
81. Is there anything you're hoping to find in the wild lands?
82. What do you think about rebel princesses?
83. What do you think about fairies?
84. Do you have any theories about monsters or magic?
85. How did you choose your princess weapon? Or did it choose you?
86. If you had to change your speciality, what would you change it to?
87. How did you feel when you graduated the academy?
88. Do you think we're doing okay?
89. Do you think we're heading in the right direction?
90. If you had to give a speech to academy princesses, what would you say?
91. What's more important, Treasure or Standing?
92. Do you think you could be a good teacher?
93. What was your best subject at the academy?
94. Did you research anything interesting at the academy?
95. Were you ever in any clubs?
96. What do you wish you were better at?
97. What advice would you give to your younger self?
98. Have you learned anything by being a frontier princess?
99. If you could quit right now, would you?
100. What would you rather be doing?
101. Are you scared of heart scars?