Presence (MATRI) Copy link
A starting Hero has five Embers: two from formative inheritances and three from starting Pathways. These share the Ember category within the 20-token starting bag. Embers are malleable foundations that may later be forged into more specific physical or mental capabilities. The two Sense Embers remain separate, representing the first hints of sensory awareness.
Presence represents a Hero’s fundamental capacity of body and mind. It is not a Pathway, and it is not a learned specialty. It is who the Hero is at their core—before training, before refinement, before intention.
Presence is tested when the world pushes back directly. It reflects instinct, endurance, reaction, and composure in moments where there is no time for technique or reliance on trained Keywords. When a Hero cannot rely on practiced skill, they fall back on Presence.
These moments occur when pressure is immediate, unavoidable, or overwhelming. Presence determines whether the Hero withstands, reacts, or holds steady when the world does not give them time to prepare.
The Five MATRI Words Copy link
Presence is expressed through five foundational capacities, known as the MATRI words. Each Hero has a Training Level in each of these, reflecting their natural strengths and limitations.
Might represents physical force, durability, and the ability to exert or resist raw power. Agility reflects speed, coordination, and immediate bodily reaction. Tenacity represents sustained endurance, the ability to persist through prolonged physical or mental strain.Resolve embodies mental fortitude, discipline, and composure under pressure. Intuition governs instinctive awareness and reflexive understanding of danger or opportunity.
These are not divided cleanly between body and mind. Each represents a different expression of a Hero’s underlying capability, and all may be tested in unexpected ways.
When Presence is Tested Copy link
Presence is used when a Hero is forced to respond without preparation or technique.
This may occur when resisting poison, fear, exhaustion, or shock, when reacting to a sudden trap or collapsing structure, or when enduring environmental extremes such as blizzards, heat, or suffocating pressure. It may also be called upon when a psychic force presses against the mind or when an unseen threat emerges without warning.
Presence is used when no Pathway Keyword meaningfully applies. It represents raw capability—untrained, immediate, and instinctive.
PRESENCE IN PLAY Copy link
Presence is tested when the Hero must rely on fundamental capability rather than learned technique. The WorldKeeper chooses the MATRI word that best reflects the pressure being applied. WEIGHT applies only when the Hero’s physical body is meaningfully involved in that response.
Presence | General Use | WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|
Might | Exert raw physical force, resist overpowering force, break free, hold something back, or withstand direct physical pressure. | MASS 2 when bodily force, leverage, or physical stability determines whether the Hero can exert or resist force. |
Agility | React immediately, maintain balance, avoid sudden danger, catch oneself, or move instinctively before there is time for technique. | LIGHT 1 when bodily quickness, balance, or unobstructed movement determines the response. |
Tenacity | Endure prolonged exertion, exhaustion, pain, deprivation, environmental extremes, or sustained physical strain. | — Weight does not normally affect endurance. Apply WEIGHT only when the specific pressure directly involves the Hero’s physical mass. |
Resolve | Resist fear, shock, coercion, psychic pressure, emotional distress, or anything that threatens composure and mental stability. | — Resolve is not made stronger or weaker by the Hero’s physical Weight. |
Intuition | React to unclear danger, sense that something is wrong, recognize an immediate opportunity, or respond instinctively before understanding why. |
Resolving a Presence Check Copy link
When a Presence Check occurs, the WorldKeeper determines which MATRI word is being tested. This choice is not made by the Hero. It reflects the nature of the pressure itself.
A falling boulder may test Agility, a fear-inducing presence may test Resolve, a grappling creature may test Might, and a prolonged march through harsh conditions may test Tenacity. Intuition is tested when danger is sudden, unclear, or only partially perceived.
Once the MATRI word is established, the Hero uses their Training Level in that word to determine the normal Performance Draw: Untrained 1, Trained 3, and Adept, Master, or Exemplar 4. Apply Wound reductions normally. Presence does not use Pathway Keywords, and it does not benefit from them unless a specific ability states otherwise.
The result is resolved using the same structure as a Performance Check. Success or failure is determined by comparing Performance to Difficulty, and the outcome is applied accordingly.
Reading the Result Copy link
As with all Performance Checks, the outcome determines whether the Hero withstands the Moment—but the tokens themselves describe how they do so.
Control results reflect a steady, disciplined response. The Hero maintains composure and acts with stability. Impulse results reflect reactive, forceful action driven by instinct or urgency. Versatility reflects adaptability, where the Hero adjusts in the moment to meet the pressure.
The MATRI word defines what is being tested. The tokens define how the Hero responds.
Presence and Pathways Copy link
Presence is not a measure of mastery. It is a measure of foundation.
Pathways represent training, specialization, and chosen identity. Presence represents inherent capability. A Hero may excel within a Pathway yet still struggle when relying on raw instinct. Another may lack formal training but endure through exceptional resilience or awareness.
Presence ensures that every Hero can be meaningfully tested, even outside their areas of expertise. It grounds the system in the idea that not every challenge can be solved through skill alone.
Presence and the Moment Copy link
Presence does not replace the structure of a Challenge. When tested within a Challenge, the Hero still chooses a Moment—Prepare, Advance, or Breakthrough—and Escalation is affected as normal.
What changes is not the structure of resolution, but the source of capability. The Hero is not relying on learned technique, but on who they are at their core.
Presence and Innate Copy link
Presence and Innate serve different roles within the system.
Innate is chosen by the Hero. It represents a defining aspect of their identity and is declared intentionally. Presence is called by the WorldKeeper. It represents the Hero’s baseline capacity when they are pushed beyond preparation.
They do not replace one another. Instead, they exist in contrast—one chosen, one revealed.