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Playing The Game

Dice Basics & Escalation

The standard dice used in this game is the d6. Rolling with a six-sided dice represents the most basic, efficient action taken in order to overcome a tricky situation. However, a lot of princesses aren't much about the most basic efficient functional action. They want something flashier, something more interesting, something more effective. They may elect to increase the difficulty of a roll by escalating to a d8 or even higher. The higher a princess escalates the dice, the flashier, more impressive, and potentially more effective the resulting outcome becomes. Of course, it also makes for more explosive and spectacular failures. Some princesses are all about the drama. In any case, for each level of escalation increase the size of all dice rolled by one level, and also increase the effect by one level. If you escalate once, increase the effect by one level and roll d8s. If you escalate four times, increase the effect by four levels and rolls d20s. Progression of dice is as follows:

d6 -> d8 -> d10 -> d12 -> d20

Rolling The Dice: d6s

When performing a move all dice are rolled at once, and the highest facing read. When rolling d6s:

If the highest result is a 6 then it's a full success; the move works just as the princess desired. If more than one six was rolled then it's a critical success, perhaps dramatically changing the course of the scene or giving some additional effect. When deciding the effect of a critical success keep in mind that the princess doesn't just achieve what she was trying to do, but also enjoys some additional benefit.

If the highest result is a 4 or 5 then it's a partial success; the princess does what she set out to do but with some consequence or cost.

If the highest result is a 3 or below then things didn't go as planned. This isn't the same as an outright failure. The princess might still accomplish what she was trying to do, but definitely not in the way she intended or wanted, and certainly with some consequences. Or maybe it just straight out doesn't work.

If ALL dice show a 1 then it could be a critical failure or 'fumble'; GM's choice. Critical failures, just like critical successes, can dramatically alter the course of a scene. It's not necessarily the worst possible outcome. It might not even be a failure in the technical sense. But the consequences of the action should be nothing that any of the player princesses wanted.

Rolling Dice Other Than d6s

For dice other than d6 consult this chart:

Dice	Failure	Partial Success	Full Success	Failure / Partial / Full % Chance per Dice (approximate)
d6	1–3	4–5	6	50% / 33% / 17%
d8	1–5	6–7	8	62% / 25% / 13%
d10	1–7	8–9	10	70% / 20% / 10%
d12	1–9	10–11	12	75% / 17% / 8%
d20	1–16	17–19	20	80% / 15% / 5%

If you ever need to roll zero or fewer dice, roll two dice and take the lowest result. You cannot roll a critical success in this way, although you could (at the GM's discretion) roll a critical failure.

Optional Rule: Escalating Risk

As it stands, you're less likely to roll a critical failure the more you escalate, because the chance of a one coming up decreases the more sides a dice has. Thus, the Escalating Risk rule: For each level of escalation, ignore one failure result when determining a critical failure. If no 1s are rolled then it's not a critical failure regardless of the level of escalated risk.

For example, if a princess escalates four times to d20s then rolls a 14, 9, and 1, the 14 and 9 would be ignored and the 1 taken as a critical failure.

If a princess escalates once to d8s and rolls a 1 and a 3 then the 3 is ignored and the 1 taken as a critical failure.

If a princess escalates twice to d12s and rolls a 4 and a 3 then it's a regular failure, because no 1s were rolled.

If a princess escalates twice to d10s then rolls a 9 and two 1s the result is a partial success for the 9, not a failure, and therefore not a critical failure.

Progress Clocks

A progress clock is a circle divided into segments. Make a progress clock when you need to track ongoing effort, the approach of impending trouble, the passage of time, progress towards finishing a project, and so on. For example, each faction or kingdom with which the player princesses have contact will have a six segment relations clock. This clock earns ticks via social actions, doing favours for that group, and so on. When the clock is filled it resets to zero and relations with that group are improved by +1. Generally, actions will fill progress clocks at the following rate:

Fumble (all 1s): Zero ticks

Failure: One tick

Partial Success: Two ticks

Full Success: Three ticks

Critical Success: Five ticks

Increased levels of effect (such as from escalating an action) will add to the number of ticks filled on a clock. For example, if a princess escalates once to d8s and achieves a partial success (with standard effect) then three ticks will be added to the clock; two from the partial success, and one tick from the extra level of effect gained by escalating. If a princess escalates twice to d10s and achieves a full success (with standard effect) then five ticks will be added; three from the full success, and another two ticks from the two extra levels of effect gained by escalating.

Reduced effect will subtract from the number of ticks; -1 for limited effect, -3 for no effect. For example, if a princess rolls a partial success with limited effect she'll fill in one tick on the clock; two ticks for the partial success, minus one for limited effect. If a princess rolls a full success with no effect then no ticks are filled; the three ticks for a full success are reduced to zero by the minus three modifier for no effect.

Partial successes, failures, and fumbles might also come with additional consequences. GM's choice.

Types Of Dice Rolls

There are four types of rolls that you'll use most often in the game:

==== Action Rolls When a princess attempts to do something that's dangerous or troublesome, they make an action roll to find out how it goes. Action rolls and their effects and consequences drive most of the game.

There are times when a roll might be made just to see how a character reacts. For example, the GM might call for all the princesses to make a basic Weird roll to see who notices some wild lands oddness, or a princess might decide to roll Sensible to see if she can contain her anger, or Chatty to see how sincerely she's coming across, or Tough to see how she reacts to a serious injury. In these cases there are no direct mechanical consequences for failure, no XP is awarded, and these rolls cannot be escalated.

Free Time Rolls

Between dealing with those pesky kingdom affairs princesses can perform free time activities in relative comfort. You make free times rolls to see how much they get done. Free time rolls are made from a controlled position by default, but position may be traded for effect if the GM agrees it's appropriate. This usually represents the princess pushing herself, cutting corners, or foregoing safety measures in order to get more done in a shorter timespan.

For more details see Free Time (pg 89).

Fortune Rolls

Fortune rolls are made when something is purely down to luck. The GM can make a fortune roll to disclaim decision making and leave something up to chance. How capable is this subject? How badly does that wild magic burst affect the crops? How many of those falling rocks hit that goat? How does this kingdom feel about ducks? Is this visiting princess helpful and competent or selfish and interfering?

Generally a fortune roll will be a single d6, with a 1 representing the worst possible luck and a 6 representing the best possible luck.

Resistance Rolls

A player can make a resistance roll when their character suffers a consequence they don't like. The roll tells us how much Weight their character suffers to reduce the severity of a consequence. When you resist that level 2 harm 'Broken Leg', you take some Weight and now it's only a level 1 'Sprained Ankle'. If you resist dropping something fragile, instead you mark Weight and manage to catch it at the last second.

For more details see Resistance Rolls (pg 75).

Action Rolls

You make an action roll when your character does something with the potential for failure or consequences. The possible results of the action roll depend on your character's position. If you're in a controlled position, the possible consequences are less serious. If you're in a desperate position, the consequences can be severe. If you're somewhere in between, it's risky— usually considered the default position for most actions.

Generally, the flow of order for an action is as follows:

1. The player states their goal for the action.
2. The player chooses the aspect they wish to use.
3. The GM sets the position for the roll.
4. The GM sets the effect level for the action.
5. The player may trade position for effect.
6. The player may escalate.
7. The player adds bonus dice.
8. The GM or another player may offer a Hard Choice.
9. The player rolls the dice and we judge the result.

1. Player States Goal

Not just "I attack the monsters", but "I'm trying to get the monsters to run away, show that I'm a serious threat and make them scared of me." Not just "I talk to the faction rep", but "I want the faction rep to favour my kingdom over my rival's." The princess's ideal desired outcome should be clearly stated in this step.

2. Player Chooses Aspect

There's a lot of overlap here, but generally the GM and the player should agree on the appropriate aspect to use. For example, rolling using Tough when you're trying to pick a lock isn't the most appropriate aspect, but it could be if you're just trying to kick the door open. The GM might change the position or the effect depending on the aspect used, and how convincingly the player explains how they're using it.

3. GM Sets Position

The position is how dangerous or troublesome the action is for the player. The three positions are:

Controlled: There's a clear opportunity, you have an advantage, there's

nothing in your way.

Risky: You're taking a chance, you're acting on equal footing, you're going

head to head.

Desperate: You're in serious trouble, you're at a disadvantage, you're out of

your depth.

By default, action rolls are risky. The player wants to accomplish something but there's an obstacle. If it's a particularly dangerous situation, make it desperate. If it's less dangerous, controlled.

The position of an action represents the severity of consequences for failure (or a partial success). Ask the question, what happens if this goes wrong? Given the circumstances, how bad can it get?

4. GM Sets Effect

Just how much will this action accomplish, if successful? Sometimes this will just be a binary pass or fail choice, other times there may be degrees of success. The four basic effect levels are:

Great: You don't just get what you wanted, but something extra too!

Standard: You do what you were trying to do.

Limited: You achieve a partial or weakened effect. What didn't you get? What remains to be done?

None: Your action has no appreciable effect.

The effect level will generally be standard, which can be improved to great via critical successes or by special abilities, or by the princess choosing to escalate the dice rolled. However, if the princess is particularly strong and the obstacle particularly weak then the GM might decide that a success means a great effect. On the other hand if the princess isn't prepared, doesn't have the right tools, is fighting above her weight or so forth, then a limited effect might be all she can hope for even on a full success.

5. Player May Trade Position For Effect

Trading position for effect represents the princess taking riskier actions, cutting corners, sacrificing her own safety in order to get into a more effective position, and so on. In mechanical terms the princess worsens her position by one level (from controlled to risky, from risky to desperate) and increases her effect. When in a controlled position you may trade position for effect twice, worsening your position to desperate and adding +2 effect.

Example: A princess is taking on an enormous fire elemental, all by herself. The elemental's Tier is one higher than her kingdom's, and she has her princess weapon but nothing in particular that gives her potency against fire. The GM judges her effect to be limited; even if she rolls a success, it's not going to do much in this situation.

Example: A princess is attempting to stop a group of her subjects from panicking, after all the brooms in the kingdom come to life. The GM judges the effect to be standard; she's a princess of the kingdom, known and respected, and they're just brooms, but she's speaking to a big crowd and trying to calm them quickly. Example: A princess is in a controlled lands kingdom, pressed into babysitting a bunch of academy princesses, when a half-dozen slimes attack the group. The frontier princess steps in front of the academy princesses with her weapon in hand, determined to wipe out the slimes and protect her charges. The GM judges the effect to be great; she's a frontier princess who deals with much worse than this on a daily basis, and a bunch of slimes aren't going to present any significant threat. On any level of success the frontier princess isn't just going to defeat these slimes, but she's going to look good doing it, too.

6. Player Chooses Escalation

After the GM has set the dice level the princess may choose to escalate, increasing the size of dice in exchange for a flashier outcome and greater effect. Every level of escalation increases the dice level by one (d6 -> d8 -> d10 -> d12 -> d20), but also increases the level of effect by one. In addition, full success on an escalated action awards 1 XP to the relevant core trait. Escalation represents extra flamboyance, more flashy techniques, and possibly the use of magic. For example, escalating a Sporty action might mean the princess is using magic to make herself run faster and jump higher.

Alternately, she might just be leaping around and doing flips and running along walls and such. Escalating a Bookworm action might mean surrounding herself with dozens of floating books, flicking through the pages with spectral hands. Alternately, she might just be reading from seven books at once, set out normally, while taking notes with one hand and with the other ... eating potato chips! Escalating a Chatty action might involve minor charm magic (suspicious if discovered) or illusion magic to make herself look more interesting or cute to the person she's talking to. Alternately, she might just be talking so fast and switching subjects with such breathtaking fluidity that it beggars the mind to witness.

Escalation can make the seemingly impossible possible, but at the cost of a greater risk of failure and potentially worse (or maybe just more dramatic) consequences if the dice aren't kind. Spectacular successes, but also spectacular failures.

Note that certain rolls, such as resistance, cannot be escalated. Example: All the elementals in the area are combing into a giant mega-elemental. Stella wants to stop this.

GM: There are a lot of elementals and there's wild magic everywhere. You've only got your princess weapon, right? Earth versus earth? I don't think you can do much. You're in a desperate position already, by the way. Stella: Okay then, what if I escalate?

GM: Hmm ... with the difference in Tiers you'd have to escalate twice just to get a limited effect.

Stella: I'll escalate three times then, up to a ... would that be a d12? Okay, that's what I'm doing. Charging my Heartwood Gauntlets with everything I've got, using magic to enchant my shoes so I'm extra springy and zippy, running and dodging past the little elementals and wild magic surges then launching myself into the air, gathering every bit of power I have and crashing straight into the core of that gathering elemental. Pushing myself for another dice, and can I roll with Sporty because I'm mostly running and jumping to get into position?

GM: Darn tooting you can, sounds amazing. Want a Hard Choice? Stella: Hit me.

GM: You get slashed and clipped by all those little elementals and floating rocks you're running past, take a level 1 harm as an additional consequence.

Stella: Huh. Yep, I'll do it. Gonna need every dice I can get here. GM: Okay. Mark two Weight for pushing yourself, add the level 1 harm 'cut up' and roll it.

7. Players Add Bonus Dice

+1d can be added by pushing yourself (marking two Weight). When in the wild lands princesses can also Channel Wild Magic to add dice to their roll (see pg 66 for details).

Other players can give the acting player +1d by saying how they help and marking one Weight.

8. Hard Choice

On any roll the GM or another player may offer a Hard Choice. This will give the acting princess extra dice or increased effect, or in some cases negate the need for a roll entirely, but also result in something happening that they probably won't like. Some examples:

• Collateral damage, unintended harm.
• Sacrifice Treasure or an item.
• Disappoint a friend or loved one.
• Damage relations with a faction.
• Start and/or tick a troublesome clock.
• Add Chaos to the kingdom or reduce the kingdom's Standing.
• Mark Weight, or clear all Weight and take a heart scar.
• Suffer harm.

9. Player Rolls; Everyone Judges

The results of the dice roll are important, but interpreting them is vital. If the highest value is 1-3 (on an unescalated d6 roll) then the action didn't go as planned, but that's not the same as a failure. Sometimes succeeding in an unexpected (and negative) way, or even succeeding TOO well, can be more interesting. 4/5 is a partial success, which might involve taking a minor consequence or reduced effect, suffering harm, or ending up in a worse position (risky from controlled, desperate from risky).

Play It Out

Dealing with a threat, obstacle, situation or anything else that might require a roll of the dice also requires an approach. How is your princess acting? What kind of attitude do they have? What aspect of themselves is most expressed, in this situation?

For example, a princess is dealing with a runaway pig, as you do. She could yell at it to stop using Bossy, she could run after it using Sporty, she could utilise her surroundings to improvise a trap using Tinker, she could sing a special pig-calling song using Bookworm or Earthy.

Keep Moving Forward

Sixes are great, obviously. We all love a six. (Or an eight, or a ten, or twelve, or that most welcome of sights, the natural twenty.) Most of the time, though, you're going to be dealing with partial successes if the roll isn't a complete wash. It's important to remember that a partial success is still a success, it just means there's some kind of cost or unwanted consequence. The action still happens and the princess makes progress towards achieving her goal. She might get thrown around and beaten and discouraged, she might attract the attention of every elemental in the area, she might put ticks on three different clocks, but she's moving forward.

GM, balance the consequences you dish out with forward momentum. Tick those clocks, deal that harm, increase that Chaos, but make sure you're also letting the princesses make big steps towards what they want. If you're having trouble thinking of consequences, there's a table in Appendix B (pg 108) that could provide some inspiration.

Princess, remember the tools you have available to control the narrative. You can always resist consequences at the cost of Weight. This is very powerful! No matter what pain the GM dishes out, you have the option to just say "Nope!" Of course you then have to deal with mounting Weight and potential scars, but that's all part of being a princess. Strong heart, easily scarred. You can also Protect That Smile on the behalf of others, taking consequences for them. When you're fighting monsters, the fighty princess can step in and take the hits. When you're at a party, the talky princess can be a social tank. Cover for each other and work as a team.

Effect

In PW:FK, you achieve goals by taking actions and dealing with consequences. The GM judges the basic effect of the action using the profiles below. Which one best matches the action at hand—great, standard, or limited? Each effect level indicates the questions that should be answered for that effect, as well as how many segments to tick if you're using a progress clock.

[3] Great

You achieve more than usual. What additional benefit do you enjoy?

[2] Standard

You achieve an expected effect. Is that enough, or is there more left to do?

[1] Limited

You achieve a partial or weak effect. How is your impact diminished? What effort remains to achieve your goal?

Assessing Factors

To choose an effect level, first start with your gut feeling, given the situation. Then, if needed, assess relevant factors: potency, scale, quality/tier, and relations. If the PC has an advantage in a given factor, consider a greater effect. If they have a disadvantage, consider a reduced effect.

Potency

The potency factor considers particular weaknesses, taking extra time or a bigger risk, or the influence of magic. Stealthy actions are more potent if all the lights are extinguished. Weapons are more potent if they are exploiting a weakness, elemental or otherwise. Study actions are more potent if the princess is an expert in that field, or if she has adequate time and resources to devote to the subject. On the other side of things, stealth is less potent in a well-lit area with little cover. Using a fire weapon against a fire elemental is less potent. That study action is less potent if the princess is rushed or doesn't have access to the right materials.

Quality/Tier

Quality represents the effectiveness of tools, weapons, or other resources, usually summarized by Tier. Fine items count as +1 bonus in quality, stacking with Tier.

When a princess is dealing with something of the same effective Tier, her effect will be standard unless there are other factors to consider (such as potency or scale). When dealing with a higher Tier the princess's effect will be reduced by the difference between the Tiers. For example, if a player princess from a Tier 0 kingdom is trying to improve relations with a princess representing the Universal Librarians (Tier 3), then the player princess will begin at no effect—in fact, at one level lower than no effect. She'll have to figure out how to improve her effect by at least two levels just to get to limited. On the other hand, if a princess is from a Tier 1 kingdom and dealing with Tier 0 monsters then she'll be at great effect from the start, barring other factors such as scale.

When a roll is made 'against Tier', compare the kingdom's Tier to the target's Tier.

Example: Princess Stella is attempting to bypass a magical barrier. Her kingdom is Tier 1 and she has fine magic tools so she's effectively Tier 2. The barrier is Tier 3. Despite her fine tools Stella is outclassed, so her effect will be limited on the barrier.

Scale

Scale represents the number of opponents, size of an area covered, scope of influence, and so on. Larger scale can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the situation. In battle, more people are better. When infiltrating, more people are a hindrance.

Relations

Relations mostly affect social actions. Increase or decrease effect by the level of relations. For example, when asking a favour from a neighbouring kingdom with +1 relations, the princess would increase her level of effect by one. When Reaching Out to a faction with which the princess's kingdom has -2 relations, reduce effect by two levels.

Putting It All Together

When considering factors, effect level might be reduced below limited, resulting in no effect, or increased beyond great, resulting in an extreme effect.

If a PC special ability gives increased effect it comes into play after the GM has assessed the effect level.

Also, remember that a princess can push herself (mark 2 Weight) for +1 effect, or escalate (increase dice size) to get increased effect on her action. If she can figure out a way her princess weapon would be useful in a situation, that's +1 effect too.

Every factor won't always apply to every situation. You don't have to do an exact accounting every time, either. Use factors to help you make a judgement call. Don't feel beholden to them.

Lead A Group Action

When you lead a group action, you coordinate multiple members of the team to tackle a problem together. Describe how your character leads the team in a coordinated effort. Do you shout orders, conjure helpful glowing symbols in the air, lead by example, or provide royally charming inspiration? Each PC involved makes an action roll (using the same aspect) and the team counts the single best result as the overall effort for everyone who rolled. However, the character leading the group action takes one Weight for each PC that rolled a failure as their best result.

Escalation may be used as part of a group action but carries a cost. For every level of escalation used on a roll that is anything less than a full success, one Weight must be marked. This Weight can be marked by anyone who is part of the group action.

For example, if a princess escalates once and rolls a failure, one Weight is paid. If she escalates three times and rolls a partial success, three Weight must be paid. If a princess escalates four times and rolls a full success, no Weight needs to be paid for her escalation.

Set Up Actions

When you perform a set up action you have an indirect effect on an obstacle. If your action has its intended result, any member of the team who follows through gets increased effect or improved position for their roll. You choose the benefit, based on the nature of your set up action.

This is a good way to contribute when you don’t have a good rating in the action at hand. Multiple follow-up actions may take advantage of your set up as long as it makes sense in the fiction. Similarly, multiple set up actions could influence a single action roll. For example, one princess could use Stylish to distract an enemy, another could use Nosy to detect a weak point (perhaps with improved position due to the first princess's successful distraction), then a third could use Tough to attack the monster, enjoying both an extra level of effect and improved position.

Since a set up action can increase the effect of follow-up actions, it's also useful when the team is facing tough opposition that has advantages in quality, scale, and/or potency. Even if the PCs are reduced to zero effect due to disadvantages in a situation, the set up action provides a bonus that allows for limited effect.

Protect That Smile

If you're in a position to do so, you may step in to face a consequence that someone else would otherwise face. Describe how you intervene, then suffer the consequence in their place. You may roll to resist it as normal. Escalating Or Trading Position For Effect.

After factors are considered and the GM has announced the effect level, a player might want to escalate their dice for effect. For instance, if they're going to make a risky roll with standard effect (the most common scenario, generally), they might instead want to push their luck and escalate their dice to make it a great effect. Alternately, if appropriate they can make their position more dangerous (controlled to risky, risky to desperate) in exchange for an effect bonus.

Example: Stella is sneaking past some elementals. She has spent a prep point to create a magical distraction and wants to sprint past while the elementals are diverted.

GM: It's pretty far. I don't think you can make it before your fireworks end. You can get halfway with a successful Sporty action, but unless you get a crit you're going to have to be Sneaky to get past the elementals.

Stella: Hmm. My Sneaky sucks. Okay, what if I use magic to make myself faster? Escalate to a d8 for the Sporty roll, to go extra fast?

GM: That works—or you could make it a desperate action rather than a risky one.

Stella: No, I'll just escalate.

GM: Okay, roll it.

Channelling Wild Magic

When in the wild lands, a princess can attempt to harness and use the inherent raw magic in the area. In mechanical terms, a princess can use wild magic to add dice to their roll to a maximum of their Whimsy + 1. (So if a princess has a Whimsy of 1 they can add up to 2 wild magic dice to a roll.) However, there are costs and risks to doing this.

First, channelling any amount of wild magic forces an escalation of the action. It's up to the princess to decide how much she wants to escalate, but it has to be at least one level (to d8s). The escalation gives bonuses as normal (increased effect and XP awarded upon full success).

Second, regardless of the outcome, any doubles rolled trigger a localised wild magic surge. This can take the form of kinetic energy, elemental energy, life energy, or anything else the GM deems appropriate. It could be beneficial to the princess, or harmful. If desired, a fortune roll can be made to see how positive (or negative) the effects are, or you can use the table in Appendix A of this rulebook (pg 109) to generate a random surge.

The escalation of the roll represents not just the difficulty of controlling wild magic, but also the often spectacular and explosive effects of doing so. When wild magic is used it's an opportunity to really get crazy with both successes and consequences.

The GM should keep track of the total number of wild magic dice used and wild magic surges that occurred during a session, as this will affect the kingdom's Chaos. See the Chaos Grows section in Aftermath (pg 84) for details.

Chaos

Even in the controlled lands magic is bizarre. Once you get into the deep wilds, woo! Forget about it. Super weird. Frontier kingdoms are shielded against the worst of it but even so, they are unavoidably places where there's a lot of uncontrolled wild magic around. This is represented by Chaos, a measure of just how weird things are getting in and around your frontier kingdom.

Chaos increases in a number of ways. Strong emotions can increase Chaos, especially if a lot of people are feeling the same way, or if one particularly powerful individual (say, a princess) is in an emotional state. Messing around in the wild lands can increase Chaos, as can ignoring the wild lands and allowing elementals and other monsters to gather power (sort of a catch-22 situation there, to be honest). Disorder can increase Chaos. Even something as seemingly innocuous as an untidy room can have surprisingly serious consequences.

Elemental Explosions

Elementals are formed of highly compressed wild magic. When an elemental is destroyed all of that energy is released at once, increasing the kingdom's Chaos by the elemental's Tier. Nearby princesses may attempt to calm this explosion, rolling Weird against the elemental's Tier. Each level of effect reduces the Chaos increase by one, to a minimum of zero. Only one attempt may be made for each elemental, although other princesses can mark Weight to help the princess making the roll.

Chaos Sets The Stage

At the beginning of each session the GM should roll a number of dice equal to the kingdom's Chaos.

Any 6s rolled indicate an abatement of Chaos; reduce the kingdom's Chaos by one.

Any set of doubles indicates a major wild magic surge, which can manifest in many different ways. See the Wild Magic Surge Examples section, or roll on the random table in Appendix B (pg 109).

Every 1 indicates a possible weakening of the kingdom's shields. If this isn't dealt with by the end of the session, reduce the kingdom's Shield by 1. Shield problems generally require a free time action to solve. Multiple shield problems might require multiple actions, or might be represented by a clock that must be filled. For example, if two 1s are rolled then the GM might create a four segment clock. If the princesses manage to fill this clock before the end of the session, their Shield will not decrease. Dealing with shield problems might also be the focus of this session's affair.

If the kingdom's shields are strong (Shield is higher than Land) then players may request for any of the dice to be rerolled.

Example: Stella's kingdom has a Chaos of 5, and strong shields. The GM rolls 2, 2, 1, 5 and 6. Stella asks for the 1 and one of the 2s to be rerolled, resulting in a 5 and a 4. There's still a wild magic surge (double 5s), but the shields aren't weakened and Chaos is reduced by 1 thanks to the 6.

If the kingdom's shields are weak (Shield is less than Land) then reroll all 6s once.

Example: Beka's kingdom has a Chaos of 4, and weak shields. The GM rolls 6, 3, 2, 4. They reroll the 6 and get a 3, resulting in a wild magic surge and no reduction in Chaos for the kingdom.

If Chaos ever reaches ten then the wild magic near the kingdom's borders has reached a crisis point. Reset chaos to zero and increase the kingdom's Wild by 1. In addition, trigger a wild magic surge as the raw chaotic forces find an outlet.

Wild Magic Surge Examples

• Warping of terrain; hills become flat, grasslands become swamps, rivers twist and bend, lakes empty, valleys flood. Enormous rock spikes burst from the ground. Crystal formations grow from walls and rooftops.
• Monster lairs are created, or monsters break through the borders.
• Life energy causes tools or other inanimate objects to come to life.
• Personalities swap or change.
• A new treasure palace appears near the kingdom's border.
• All the animals in the kingdom start talking and just won't shut up.
• Elementals near the kingdom's borders begin merging to create one enormous mega-elemental.
• Portals start appearing, sucking in everything nearby and depositing it in random places.
• Illusions begin appearing around the kingdom.
• Every lie told in the kingdom manifests as a little floating puffball.
• The entire kingdom is silenced.
• Thick mist settles over the kingdom, and there's something out there.
• Some of the valuables in the kingdom's vault sprout legs and run for it.

The length that wild magic surge effects persist for is up to the GM. Generally they'll last a session or two, or until the princesses deal with them directly (possibly as an affair). If you're having trouble coming up with a wild surge, try looking at the projects the princesses have, their kingdom focus, their relations with factions and other kingdoms, and their goals. What would mess with those things?

If you're still coming up blank, or just want to embrace the chaos and roll for it, dozens of wild surge examples can be found in Appendix B: Random Tables (pg 109).

Harm And Consequence

The Heart Of A Princess

Princesses are, generally speaking, resilient individuals used to bearing heavy responsibility. They're tough to hurt and hard to keep down. However, princesses are not indestructible. They are physical beings of flesh and blood. If they're cut, they bleed. If they're slammed against a rock by a rogue elemental, they hurt. If they get hit in the arm by a troll's club, maybe that arm gets broken. Similarly, the barbed words of a rival princess can cut straight to the heart. The weight of regret can be more crushing than that troll's club. It is true that a princess's heart is her greatest strength. It is also true that the heart of a princess is her most vulnerable weakness.

Consequences

Enemy actions, bad circumstances, or the outcome of a roll can inflict consequences on a PC. The GM determines the consequences, following from the fiction and the style and tone established by the game group.

Reduced Effect

This consequence represents impaired performance. The PC's action isn't as effective as they'd anticipated. You hit the monster, but it's not enough to stop it from eating the key. You're able to climb the wall, but you're only halfway up before the dragon spots you. This consequence essentially reduces the effect level of the PC's action by one after all other factors are accounted for.

Complication

This consequence represents trouble, mounting danger, or a new threat. The GM might introduce an immediate problem that results from the action right now: the room catches fire, you're disarmed, your kingdom gets +1 Chaos from the elemental attention you're attracting, you lose status with a faction, the target evades you and now it's a chase, more monsters turn up, and so on.

Or the GM might tick a clock for the complication. Maybe there's a clock for the alert level of monsters guarding a treasure. Or maybe the GM creates a new clock for the suspicion of your host at a party. Fill one tick on a clock for a minor complication or two ticks for a standard complication. A serious complication is more severe: reinforcements surround and trap you, the room catches fire and falling ceiling beams block the door, your weapon is lost, the kingdom suffers +2 Chaos, your target escapes out of sight, etc. Fill three or more ticks on a clock for a serious complication. Don't inflict a complication that negates a success. If a PC tries to corner an enemy and gets a partial success, don't say that the enemy escapes. The player's roll succeeded so the enemy is cornered, but maybe they manage to knock the princess's weapon away, or pull a suspiciously glowing crystal from their pocket.

Harm And Injury

Princesses are pretty tough, and also quite good at avoiding getting seriously hurt. Sometimes, though, you just can't help but break a leg or two. Harm is usually a consequence of failed action rolls, and comes in a delightful variety of shapes and severities.

1. Harm (Reduced Effect): bruised, split lip, bloody nose, hurt feelings, drained, creeped out, feeling gross
2. Harm (-1d): sprained ankle, cracked ribs, beaten up, exhausted, scared, humiliated, shaken by regret, betrayed, poisoned, lost, disappointed
3. Harm (twonked until further notice): crushed, broken limb, all cut up, terrified, devastated, savagely dragged

Weight

This consequence represents stress and heaviness of heart. Sometimes even when an action succeeds it costs the princess something. Marking Weight as a consequence can be due to guilt, pain, embarrassment, anxiety, hurt feelings, disappointment, or maybe just good old fashioned stress.

Twonked

'Twonked' is a state of incapacity in which you're able to call encouragement to your friends and maybe move a bit, but not much more than that. Actually acting in any useful capacity will cost two Weight for every action roll (see 'Pushing Yourself'). When twonked a princess can elect to be teleported to safety, most likely back to her castle, unless there are circumstances stopping teleportation magic from working (this is up to the GM and the laws of narrative drama).

Pushing Yourself

Princesses can use their inner determination and strength of heart to push themselves to greater heights. For each bonus you choose, mark two Weight. Each bonus may be taken once per action.

Add +1d to your roll.

Add +1 level to your effect.

Take a normal action while twonked.

Weight

Princesses have a Weight counter with ten steps. Weight represents the heaviness of the princess's heart and the burden she is bearing; the more she pushes herself and the more stress she suffers, the heavier the responsibility she feels and the harder everything seems. If Weight reaches ten then it is reset to zero and the princess takes a heart scar; see the Heart Scars section for details.

Once per session, if a princess eats or drinks something new and delicious she may remove one Weight.

Heart Scars

If Weight reaches ten then the princess has pushed herself too far and her heart will be scarred as a consequence. Reset Weight to zero then pick an appropriate scar from the list. The emergence of a scar is a dramatic event and can completely change the course of a scene. The GM has the final say over how a new scar affects events, and over what actions the princess may take for the remainder of the affair. Some suggestions for how heart scarring might play out:

• The princess is immediately whisked out of danger and back to the castle, to recover and reflect. Her companions may or may not go with her.
• The princess is filled with dramatic power, and immediately utilises this power in a manner appropriate to her new scar. This could attract the wrong sort of attention, increasing the kingdom's Chaos.
• The princess is incapacitated by the impact of this new scar, and is considered twonked. However, if the GM deems it appropriate she may come back into the scene at a dramatic moment.
• All focus is upon the princess. Her player takes control of the scene and it plays out with the newly scarred princess in the spotlight. After the scene has built to an appropriately dramatic climax, the princess collapses or is otherwise spent; cutting to a new scene or the aftermath of the affair might be appropriate.
• The newly scarred princess is able to hide the change that's come over her well enough that nobody can really say for sure what just happened. The true effects of the scar will be felt, and perhaps noticed, later. Whenever a princess takes a heart scar increase her kingdom's Standing and XP by one each. It's an event that attracts a certain type of unspoken respect and sympathy, from allies and rivals alike.

List Of Heart Scars

Regretful: You've made mistakes. You have to be better.

Guilty: Why did you DO that? Why do you always mess up?

Cold: Feelings are a distraction.

Hot: Feelings MATTER!

Overwhelmed: Everything is so complicated. Things just keep piling up. You just want things to be simple.

Savage: No more polite lies. You'll let them all know exactly what you think of them.

Impatient: You have no time for those who stand between you and what must be done. Step aside or be trampled.

Overprotective: As long as they're okay, you're okay. Just don't let them get hurt. Just don't let them down.

Contentious: WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

Vindictive: They have wronged you, your friends, your kingdom. They must be punished. No matter the cost.

Manic: Let's have a party! Let's go fight those elementals! Let's do whatever, just don't stop! Don't stop!

Withdrawn: You're okay. You can do this. By yourself. Definitely by yourself.

Proud: You did nothing wrong. It's everyone else who's mistaken.

Competitive: Anything's better than losing.

Trusting: They know best. You just have to keep faith. No matter what happens. Just keep that faith.

Merciless: Whatever lenience you once had is gone. You will cut those who oppose you without hesitation.

Reckless: You've survived worse. You'll survive this, too. Or not. Either way.

Idealistic: You're right! You KNOW you're right! If only you could make them understand!

Blinkered: This is fine.

Relentless: So what if you're heading for ruin. Just as long as it gets done.

Paranoid: Everyone's hiding something. Nobody's free of secrets. The only sane position is one of suspicion.

Shy: Everyone keeps looking at you, and you don't know how to deal with that.

Stubborn: No.

Anxious: What if you're just making things worse? What if every decision you make is wrong? How can you be sure? How can you do this?

Obsessed: Was it that? It was. Just that one thing. That one little thing.

Disillusioned: It's not how you thought it'd be. It's not how they said it'd be. Is there even any point to this?

Arrogant: This wouldn't have happened if they'd just listened to you. You're better than them. You're better than everyone.

Selfish: Why does everyone expect you to sort everything out? Someone else can deal with it. You have your own priorities.

Apathetic: Whatever.

Retirement

Scars are permanent. When a princess gains her fourth scar she must take a step back from active involvement in kingdom affairs. Let the younger, brighter princesses deal with them. She's not dead or broken or useless, she just ... can't do this any more. Not like she used to. The princess can still be a part of the kingdom, but she is now an NPC. The player must make a new character to continue, possibly using the legacy rules. The retiring princess may help out in the future, but entirely under the GM's control. She will be extremely reluctant to participate in any activities related to the event that caused her retirement. For example, if she took her fourth scar while fighting elementals in the wild lands, she won't do anything that might result in a fight or contact with elementals. If she took her fourth scar while at a party then she will shy away from social or diplomatic engagements.

Alternatively, the princess can leave the kingdom for the controlled lands. This reflects well on the kingdom—clearly this princess has worked hard and sacrificed a lot to advance her kingdom, and so the kingdom must be worthy. Immediately add six to the kingdom's Standing. Also, the princess will probably take an important position in one of the factions or otherwise act as a positive (if remote) influence. Add her as a Highly Placed Friend boon to the kingdom. If you like, you may create a new character using the legacy rules.

When a princess retires due to heart scarring her kingdom gains +1 relations with the faction Scarred Hearts.

Heart Scars In Play

Taking a heart scar is a dramatic, permanent change to a character, but it doesn't have to define them going forward. Nobody is just one thing, and every princess is going to react to a scar differently. Some will accept it, even embrace it, using it to drive themselves forward. Some will be afraid of this new facet of themselves. Some will fight against it, striving to be better than the heavy little darkness deep in their chest. Some will try to ignore it, throwing themselves into affairs as a distraction. Some will deny its existence, doing anything to keep from acknowledging their new scar. Some will see it as a mark of honour, a reminder of what they've sacrificed. Some will see it as a mark of shame, a reminder of their failure. Some will be able to laugh it off; it happened, it's not that interesting, let's just move on. Some will find that they're not able to treat it so lightly.

In this Princess World heart scarring is a known phenomenon. Everyone sort of knows that it's a risk for princesses, especially frontier princesses. Accumulating too many isn't the end of a princess, it's mostly just a sign that she's done enough. There's a level of respect for a princess with heart scars, sometimes even awe. It means you've been out there. It means you've fought and pushed yourself, maybe a little too far. It's rare that anyone would blame a princess for taking a heart scar. Even a princess's rivals usually won't use her scars against her. After all, they could be next. Still, it's not really considered a polite conversational topic. In most situations it would be tremendously rude to ask a princess if she has any scars, akin to asking a soldier if they've ever killed anyone. Heart scars are spoken of in hushed tones, when they are discussed at all, with a degree of reverence and delicacy. For players, don't be too scared of heart scars. Getting one isn't the end of the world. From a gameplay point of view there's no mechanical penalty for taking a scar, your Weight gets completely cleared, and if you use the scar for roleplaying you get bonus XP. Of course if you get too many you're forced to retired, but that's not the same as dying. Either your princess becomes an NPC in the kingdom or she leaves the frontier and takes a position elsewhere, supporting the place she fought so hard for from afar. It's not the end of her story.

For the GM, don't be scared to pile on the Weight, but if a princess is close to gaining a heart scar it can be a good idea to bring it up whenever she takes action or does anything that could push her over the edge. If a princess is about to resist a consequence, for example, make sure to tell her that if she rolls under a certain number then she's going to take enough Weight to gain a heart scar. Don't blindside princesses, is what I'm saying. In a certain sense, gaining a scar should feel almost like a choice. The princess chose to push herself, to resist, to take those risky or desperate actions, to escalate. It all added up and led to this one moment. In a particularly tense or dramatic situation, when a princess already has eight or nine Weight, you could even offer a heart scar as part of a Hard Choice. She doesn't have to roll that desperate action. She'll have full narrative control of how this thing plays out. All of her Weight will be cleared. The only price is a scarred heart.

Resistance Rolls

When a princess suffers a consequence they don't want to accept, they may take Weight to change the outcome. The result of a resistance roll determines how much Weight must be marked to avoid the outcome.

Resistance is always automatically effective. The GM will tell you if the consequence is reduced in severity or if you avoid it entirely. Then, you'll make a resistance roll to see how much Weight your character marks as a result of their resistance.

You make the roll using one of your character's attributes (Fitness, Wit, Charm or Whimsy). The GM chooses the attribute, based on the nature of consequences:

Fitness: Physical harm and effort; being thrown around, taking damage, falling, exhaustion, dropping something.

Wit: Mental harm and effort; magical damage, fatigue from study, messing up an invention.

Charm: Social harm and effort; making a faux pas, being caught in a lie, cutting words from a rival princess, a drop in relations.

Whimsy: Wild magic & weird harm; consequences of wild magic, messing up while gardening, the effects of wild surges.

Your character marks 6 Weight when they resist, minus the highest die result from the resistance roll. So, if you rolled a 4, you'd mark 2 Weight. If you rolled a 6, you'd mark zero Weight. If you get a critical result on your resistance roll you clear 1 Weight.

Example: During a scuffle with an elemental, Stella rolls badly and gets slammed against a tree. It's a desperate situation and a strong elemental so the GM decides Stella will take the level three harm, 'Crushed'. Stella isn't in the mood to be hurt, so she chooses to resist. The GM decides this is a Fitness roll. The princess, with her Fitness of 2, rolls two dice and gets a 2 and a 1. She marks 4 Weight, and the GM reduces the harm to level 2, 'Bruised Ribs'.

Usually, a resistance roll reduces the severity of a consequence. If you're going to suffer level three harm, for example, a resistance roll would reduce the harm to level two instead. Or if you got a complication when you were sneaking into a monster lair, and the GM was going to mark three ticks on the Alarm clock, she'd only mark two (or maybe one) if you resisted the complication.

You may only resist a given consequence once.

The GM also has the option to rule that your character completely avoids the consequence. For instance, maybe you're fighting a monster and the consequence is getting disarmed. When you resist, the GM says that you avoid that consequence completely: you keep hold of your weapon. The GM may also threaten several consequences at once, then the player may choose which ones to resist (and make rolls for each).

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.

Death

Princesses are not immortal. The death of a character is a possibility within this game. However, it can only occur if both the GM and player agree. To state it clearly, when it comes to character mortality players in this game have full agency. Their character cannot die without their explicit consent. If the story leads a princess into a situation in which she takes potentially lethal damage, if the player does not want her to die then she suffers level three harm and is twonked. If she wants to continue to act then she must pay two Weight for every action taken.

Kingdom Affairs

There's no avoiding it. You can't ignore the problem any longer. You've got a dozen other things demanding your attention but this affair in particular needs to be dealt with right now.

Kingdom affairs are the main 'adventure' part of Frontier Kingdoms, and will form the core of most sessions. They usually involve a serious problem affecting

the kingdom, something that the princesses are going to have to deal with directly. Or maybe the kingdom's patron faction has approached them with a little favour they need done, or maybe it was one of the other factions, or one of the neighbouring kingdoms, or even one of their subjects. Or maybe the princesses want to go out and hunt an elemental or two, or search for treasure in the wild lands, or research magical phenomenon, or get cracking on border expansion, or just find a really good party to attend. Whatever the affair, it's going to require planning, there are going to be obstacles involved, and by the end of it everyone is probably going to be longing for a cup of tea and a nice long bath.

Planning & Engagement

The princesses spend time planning their kingdom affairs. They check maps, study books, argue about the best approach, consult with experts or their subjects, prepare magic and supplies, plan routes, worry about potential dangers, and so on.

You, the players, will probably still do some of that. But all you ACTUALLY have to do is choose the type of approach your princesses are taking. The engagement roll determines how much trouble you're in when the plan is put into motion.

Choose Your Approach

There are six different approaches that can be taken, each with a missing detail that you must provide; Direct, Careful, Tricky, Stealthy, Social, or Noble. To plan an affair, just pick an approach and add the detail. Then the GM will cut to the action as the first dramatic moments of the affair unfold.

Engagement Approaches In Detail

Direct

Get straight to the point, no mucking around.

Detail: The point of attack.

Direct approaches are for princesses who can't be bothered with fiddly nonsense. The point of attack could be a place, a person or object, or even something more abstract like an idea or a belief.

Tricky

Don't be glib.

Detail: The method of deception.

Tricky approaches always involve a degree of subterfuge. Think about both the target and the way the princesses are tricking them, and exactly what they're trying to accomplish with this.

Stealthy

Just don't let them notice you.

Detail: The point of infiltration.

Stealthy approaches differ from tricky approaches in an important way; tricky approaches are about deception, while stealthy approaches are about not being noticed at all.

Careful

Research carefully and do this properly.

Detail: The revealed weakness.

Careful approaches are for princesses who like to plan and prepare. The detail is a weakness, which can be just about anything. Remember that the engagement roll determines the opening position of the affair. On a poor roll maybe the princesses were wrong about the weakness, or weren't able to properly take advantage of it.

Social

Civility, persuasion, tea.

Detail: The social connection.

Social approaches involve a contact, which could be someone the princesses already know or someone new. (Although they'll probably have more luck with a known and trusted ally than an unknown quantity.) It could involve negotiation, a friendly chat, or maybe just a lot of shouting.

Noble

Announce your intentions and engage honourably.

Detail: Your reason for being so nice about this.

With a noble approach there is absolutely no deception or trickery, and if fighting is involved it'll be face to face without any attempt at surprise or subterfuge.

The Engagement Roll

Once the players choose an approach and provide the detail the GM cuts to the action, describing the scene as the princesses begin their affair and encounter their first obstacle. In order to give everyone an idea of how things kick off, we use a dice roll. This is the engagement roll.

The engagement roll is a fortune roll, starting with 1d for sheer luck. Modify the dice pool for any major advantages or disadvantages that apply:

Is the affair aligned with the kingdom's focus? Take +1d. For example, Magic Researchers going into the wild lands to retrieve a relic.

Are the princesses particularly suited to this approach? Take +1d. For example, a Social approach with princesses who have high Charm aspects, or having the Elemental Experts boon on an affair involving elementals.

Are the princesses out of their depth with this approach? Take -1d. For example, a Stealthy approach with princesses who have no points in Sneaky.

Will the affair be in a familiar or comfortable environment? Take +1d. For example, if the affair is within the kingdom, or in a place related to a princess's speciality, or somewhere the princesses have spent significant time previously.

Does the affair take place in a particularly difficult, hostile, or alien environment? Take -1d. For example, deep in the wild lands or at a party filled with hostile factions.

Is there an aspect of the affair that could easily go wrong? Take -1d. For example, it involves a kingdom or faction with negative relations, requires precise timing, or involves an unreliable person.

Is the approach especially appropriate? Does it exploit a weakness or vulnerability? Take +1d. For example, a Stealthy approach when infiltrating via a secret entrance, or a Social approach with the detail being a reliable and trusted ally.

Is there anything unsuitable about this particular approach? Is the target strong against it? Take -1d. For example, a Noble approach against a tricksy and cunning kingdom, or a Direct approach against a fortified position or a well-guarded item.

Can any of your friends or subjects help or give advice? Take +1d for each source of help.

Are any enemies or rivals interfering in the affair? Take -1d for each interference.

Are there any other elements that you want to consider? Maybe a lower-Tier target will give you +1d. Maybe a higher-Tier target will give you -1d.

Engagement Roll Results

Crit: Exceptional result. You've overcome the first obstacle and you're in a controlled position for what's next.

6: Good result. You're in a controlled position when the action starts.

4/5: Mixed result. You're in a risky position when the action starts.

1-3: Bad result. You're in a desperate position when the action starts.

Flashbacks

When an affair is underway you can invoke a flashback to take an action in the past that impacts your current situation. Maybe you asked your allies to come in and provide backup against these elementals. Maybe you arranged with your subjects to be on hand with sacks to carry all this stuff back to the kingdom. Maybe you spent some time studying the monsters you just ran into.

The GM sets a Weight cost when you activate a flashback action.

0 Weight: An ordinary action for which you had easy opportunity. Arranging with your subjects to show up somewhere, coordinating a special signal or code word with your fellow princesses, studying a specific aspect of something.

1 Weight: A complex action or unlikely opportunity. Arranging for a disguise to be hidden at the party, having already Bookwormed about the house where the faction leaders are meeting.

2+ Weight: An elaborate action that involved special opportunities or contingencies. Coordinating a balloon with a rope ladder to be sent over your location just at this moment, uncovering detailed information about the secret passages that lead to the master control room.

After the cost is paid, a flashback action is handled just like any other action. Sometimes it will entail an action roll, because there's some danger or trouble involved. Sometimes a flashback will entail a fortune roll, because we just need to find out how well things went. Sometimes a flashback won't call for a roll at all; you just pay the Weight and it's accomplished. At the GM's discretion a flashback might be paid for by Treasure or Standing, rather than Weight. For example, if Chaos is significantly raised during an affair, to the point that Wild will be increased, you could pay a Treasure and flashback to taking the free time action Calm The Wilds, thus reducing Chaos and avoiding that Wild increase.

Flashback Limits

A flashback isn't time travel. It can't undo something that just occurred in the present moment. For instance, if a faction representative confronts you about the disappearance of a magical artefact, you can't call for a flashback to stop her from showing up. She's here now, questioning you. That's established in the fiction. However, you COULD call for a flashback to show that you planted that artefact in a rival princess's bag...

Time Paradox

Princesses cannot suffer harm or other consequences in a flashback that would have affected them in the time leading up to the point when they had the flashback. In other words, you can't break your arm in a flashback if you've been operating with two unbroken arms this whole time. Instead of handing out harm and such as a consequence of flashback actions, the GM should think about how the princesses' actions in the past might affect them in the present moment. You could start a clock, increase Chaos, damage relations, have a rival show up, introduce a threat, or even inflict harm on them in the present. Linking causes in flashbacks to effects in the present moment can really bring an affair together.

Prep Points

Princesses are known for their flexibility and adaptability. They'll often come up with a bit of magic or useful item just at the moment they need it. Princesses don't need to specifically note what equipment, items, and magic they're carrying. Instead, at the beginning of each new kingdom affair each princess gets five prep points that they can spend whenever they need something extra. It might be a tool, mundane or magical. It might be an extra weapon, for just those moments when your princess weapon has been smacked out of your hand by a raging frost elemental and you could really use your trusty flame dagger. It might be a sequence of bombs, each more unlikely than the last. It could also be a pinch of extra magic to make yourself faster or sneakier, to disguise your appearance, or to summon some magical fireworks as a distraction.

In any case, whenever you need something during an affair just tell the GM what you're pulling out and mark off a prep point. If it's particularly rare or powerful then the GM might rule that it costs two prep points. If you want an item or magical effect to be of fine quality (+effect when used as part of an action roll) then it will cost an additional prep point. The GM might also request justification for why the princess has this particular item, or require a flashback to explain where and how they acquired or prepared it. Prep points cannot be regained during an affair. Once they're gone, they're gone.

Picking Up Stuff

If a princess wants to take something she finds during an affair, mark off a prep point. This includes Treasure; one prep point per point of Treasure grabbed. Remember that any princess can mark two prep points to use storage magic, which holds her kingdom's Tier+3 items or Treasure.

Using prep points to take something means that it's been tucked away, relatively safe and secure. If a princess has used up all of her prep points but wants to grab something, then she's holding it in her hands. If she wants to do anything she's probably going to have to put that thing down, and then remember to pick it up again when she's done.

If a princess wants to take Treasure or specific items along on an affair then mark one prep point for each item or point of Treasure carried. However, unless the item is absolutely vital to the affair it's usually better to just mark off the prep point at the moment you need the thing.

Princess Magic

Princesses sometimes need a little more oomph than usual. The following magical abilities cost prep points to use, and could be represented by a small charm, a magic scroll or potion or other item, some extra preparatory study done before the affair, or just the princess summoning extra power to pull off a clutch move. If there's a number after the magic then that's how many prep points it costs, otherwise it costs 1 prep point. If the princess is out of prep points and wants to use magic it will cost her two Weight per prep point.

Generally, most magic will add increased effect or +1d when used as part of an action roll. If an additional prep point is used to make the magic fine quality add both +1d and increased effect to the roll.

If a princess wants to use magic that doesn't fit into any of these categories, it's up to the GM as to whether she has access to that magic, how effective it is, and how many prep points it will cost.

Shield (2)

Resist physical or magical damage, reducing harm by one level. Ineffective against social harm. See Magic Shields (pg 76) for more details.

Storage (2)

Some kind of pocket dimension, magic chest, or bag of holding situation. Holds up to Tier+3 Treasure or items until the princess returns to her kingdom. If Storage magic isn't used, each Treasure or item costs one prep point to carry.

Illusion

Create the image and/or sound of something, alter your own or someone else's appearance, conjure magical lights or fireworks to distract or entertain.

Movement

Move fast, jump high, climb like a spider. At the GM's discretion this could also include limited teleportation or flight.

Divination

Reveal secrets about a person, object, or place, uncover hidden things, see the possibilities that lie ahead, banish illusions.

Elemental

Fire, water, air, earth, light, darkness; frontier princesses command them all.

Aftermath

After a kingdom affair is concluded, it's time for a break. The post-affair phase is divided into five segments, as follows:

1. - Rewards Earned
2. - Chaos Grows
3. - Complications
4. - Free Time Activities
5. - Winding Down

Rewards Earned

When a kingdom affair is successfully resolved, add 2 Standing. If the affair involved a threat that was higher Tier than the kingdom, add +1 Standing per Tier higher. If the threat was lower Tier than the kingdom then the Standing reward is reduced by -1 per Tier lower (minimum zero). If someone promised to pay the princesses they might be awarded Treasure or receive other benefits. They might also have found Treasure during the affair.

Kingdom boons such as Trade Freedom or Highly Placed Friend will award their bonuses during this step, and valuables such as treasure palace cores may be exchanged for Treasure or other benefits.

Chaos Grows

Chaos increases naturally over time, as wild magic gathers beyond the borders. After every kingdom affair increase Chaos by 1. Discord and bad moods also increases Chaos. For every group with which the kingdom has -3 relations, increase Chaos by 1. If time was spent in the wild lands during the affair then Chaos increases at the following rates, depending on how the princesses behaved:

Quiet, calm and respectful; no fighting occurred: no extra Chaos.

Mostly okay but maybe a bit rough; any fights resolved quickly: +2 Chaos.

Noisy and stompy; multiple or drawn-out fights: +4 Chaos.

They just went crazy over there; constant rowdy fighting: +6 Chaos.

Next, add Chaos from wild magic dice used and local wild magic surges:

0-2: Mostly safe. No mechanical effect.

3-5: +2 Chaos

6-9: +4 Chaos

Add an additional +1 Chaos for each wild magic dice/surge more than nine. For example, if eight wild magic dice were used and four wild magic surges occurred, the kingdom's Chaos would increase by +7. If Chaos ever reaches ten, immediately reset it to zero, increase the kingdom's Wild by 1, and trigger a wild magic surge. See the Chaos section (pg 66) for more details.

If a kingdom's Wild reaches 5 then the nearby wild lands have become intensely chaotic and dangerous. This does not necessarily mean an automatic failure on the part of the princesses, but their inability to calm and counter the wild lands near their kingdom will certainly be noticed. They should expect a visit from one of the factions, perhaps their patron, perhaps the Silver Masks or the Hunter Guild or the Kingdom Defenders, or maybe the Wandering Stars will arrive in one of their moving castles. Whoever it is that shows up, they're not going to be particularly warm towards the princesses. How things progress is up to the GM, but the freedoms of the player princesses are likely to be restricted and their actions given stern oversight.

Keeping both Chaos and Wild low should be a high priority. Once Wild rises there is no simple method to reduce it. It might be possible to lower Wild via long term projects, but this will likely require considerable resources and outside help. It's up to the GM as to what is required and who the princesses will have to appeal to in order to get this done. At the GM's discretion more out-there elements could also be covered.

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?

Ending The Session

Generally, sessions will end after all princesses have used their Free Time actions and concluded the Winding Down phase. Sometimes, if the players are pressed for time and an affair is running especially long, a session might end in the middle of an affair. Sometimes an entire session can be dedicated to the Aftermath phase. All of these scenarios are absolutely fine. However you finish things, at the end of each session comes the advancement phase, during which you should review XP triggers and award XP to both the princesses and their kingdom. The end of the session is also the time to roll for and advance big picture clocks. Elementals & Monsters Every frontier kingdom has to deal with both monsters and elementals. The noisier and stompier the princesses are out in the wild lands, the more likely it is that their little kingdom is going to attract negative attention. When a kingdom is created make a ten segment relations clock for Elementals & Monsters and fill in five segments. At the end of each session adjust the Elementals & Monsters clock as follows:

• For every two points that Chaos increased in this session, add one tick.
• For every wild surge that occurred during the session, add one tick.
• If the princesses didn't spend any significant time in the wild lands, remove one tick.
• For every Calm The Wilds free time action taken, remove one tick.
• If the kingdom has the Border Defences improvement, remove one tick.

Long term projects may be undertaken to drive monsters and elementals away from the kingdom, if the princesses and the GM can agree on their effectiveness. Failed rolls or other actions may also increase ticks in this clock as a consequence.

If the clock is filled, reduce relations with Elementals & Monsters by -1. If the clock is emptied, improve relations with Elementals & Monsters by +1 (to a maximum of zero, unless the GM decides otherwise; under normal circumstances frontier kingdoms cannot have a positive relationship with Elementals & Monsters). After the relations clock is filled or emptied create a new ten segment clock with five segments filled.

There are no specific mechanical effects or penalties for having a lower Elementals & Monsters relation, beyond the usual reduction in free time actions for being at war with a group you have -3 relations with (if it gets that bad). With that said it does represent the interest of wild lands entities in the kingdom. It's up to the GM to interpret that as they may.

Princess Advancement

During the game session:

• When you make a desperate action roll, mark 1 XP in the relevant trait.
• If you fail an action roll and suffer a consequence, mark 1 XP in the relevant trait.
• If you roll a full success on an escalated action, mark 1 XP in the relevant trait.
• The first time you use your speciality during a session, mark 1 XP in Heart.
• For each downtime discussion you are a part of, mark 1 XP in your chosen trait, or Heart.

You can only mark XP once for each action, so for example if you fail a desperate Tough action you only mark 1 XP in Fitness, not 2. At the end of the session review the following XP triggers. For each, mark 1 XP if it happened once or in a normal sort of way, or 2 XP if it happened multiple times or in an especially dramatic fashion.

• You dealt with a threat to the kingdom or stood up to a rival.
• Your scars or indulgences led to drama or conflict.
• You ate or drank something new and delicious.
• You embodied the spirit of your speciality.
• You acted on or formed a new belief.
• You escalated an action.

You may mark end-of-session XP in any trait, or in Heart. When you earn 6 XP in a trait, reset XP in that trait to zero and choose one of the aspects under that trait to improve by one point. Aspects have a maximum value of 3, or 4 if the kingdom has the appropriate Mastery improvement. When you earn 8 XP in Heart, reset Heart XP to zero and choose a new special ability.

Kingdom Advancement

At the end of the session, review the following triggers and mark 1 Kingdom XP for each one that occurred during the session. If a trigger occurred multiple times or in a dramatic or striking way, mark 2 Kingdom XP for it.

• Your focus-specific XP trigger:
  • Monster Hunters: Threat defeated/prey hunted.
  • Treasure Guardians: New place explored/loot gained.
  • Magic Researchers: Report submitted/relic gained.
  • Wild Claimers: Shield is Strong/kingdom improved.
  • Social Climbers: +3 relations with faction/relations improved.
• If the princesses discovered something interesting or valuable in the wild lands, mark XP.
• If the princesses had a significant interaction with another kingdom or faction, mark XP.
• If the princesses represented their kingdom at a party or other social event, mark XP.
• If the princesses did something to make their subjects happy, mark XP.
• If the princesses dealt with higher Tier threats or rivals, mark XP.
• If all princesses chose the same conversation type in a downtime discussion, mark XP. In addition, princesses can gain XP for their kingdom by gaining, living up to, subverting or changing reputations:
• For each new reputation earned, mark XP.
• For each reputation the princesses lived up to, subverted, or changed, mark XP. When you reach 10 Kingdom XP, reset Kingdom XP to zero and pick one from the following:
• Choose a new kingdom boon.
• Choose two new kingdom improvements.
• Choose a new group of subjects for your kingdom. Remember there is a limit of four points worth of improvements per Land, and a kingdom may support a number of subject groups equal to its Land+1. Advancement bonuses may be reserved until enough Land has been secured to support improvements or new subjects.