Reserve is capability a Hero has made available through action, preparation, training, or connection to greater forces. When Reserve is gained, the appropriate Potential Token becomes Active Reserve within the Hero Bag.
Active Reserve provides 1 Versatility, or 2 Versatility when drawn during a Performance using its associated Pathway. Some Reserve may also be spent to activate abilities, Keywords, Threadcraft, Invocations, Devotions, or other effects.
Reserve takes two forms: Forces and Aspects.
FORCES Copy link
SANCTION TOKENS Copy link
Sanctions are Reserve tied to divine authority: Order, Balance, and Chaos. They are most closely associated with Divinity and Devotion and may be used to fuel Channels, Invocations, Devotions, and other divine effects.
A Sanction provides 1 Versatility, or 2 Versatility when used with Divinity or Devotion. Some abilities may spend the Sanction itself.
ORDER
1V or 2V if Divinity or Devotion
[FRONT]
ORDER (Sanction)
Order governs structure, stability, purification, and imposed certainty. It may be spent or called upon for effects that stabilize, cleanse, organize, restrain, or enforce
BALANCE
1V or 2V if Divinity or Devotion
[FRONT & BACK]
BALANCE (Sanction)
Balance governs equilibrium, mediation, exchange, and opposing forces held in tension. It may be used for effects that redistribute, reflect, equalize, reconcile, or redirect.
CHAOS
1V or 2V if Divinity or Devotion
[FRONT]
CHAOS (Sanction)
Chaos governs instability, transformation, escalation, and the rejection of imposed order. It may be used for effects that distort, consume, spread, escalate, or break established structures, often at additional risk or cost.
THREAD TOKENS Copy link
Thread Tokens allow a Hero to work directly with the fundamental Threads of Rhun. Each Thread is associated with a sense and a particular expression of reality.
A Thread provides 1 Versatility, or 2 Versatility when used with the Threads Pathway. Thread Tokens may also be spent through Threadcraft and related Keywords.
Working with the Threads carries risk. When a Thread Token is flipped, its corrupted side may introduce Wither Seedling.
DALO (RED)
DOMAIN
[TOUCH]
1V (or 2V if Threads) [FRONT]
CORRUPTION
If flipped, gain Wither Seedling.
[BACK]
DALO (Red Thread) DOMAIN (Touch)
Dalo governs force, pressure, boundaries, and physical dominion. It is used to seize, hold, shape, compress, restrain, or impose control upon the surrounding world.
JATU (GREEN) GUIDANCE
[SIGHT]
1V (or 2V if Threads)
[FRONT]
CORRUPTION
If flipped, gain Wither Seedling.
[BACK]
JATU (Green Thread) GUIDANCE (Sight)
Jatu governs direction, foresight, paths, and revealed possibility. It is used to find, guide, reveal, anticipate, or steer a course through uncertainty.
SERE (YELLOW)
HARMONY
[SOUND]
1V (or 2V if Threads)
[FRONT]
CORRUPTION
If flipped, gain Wither Seedling.
[BACK]
SERE (Yellow Thread) HARMONY (Sound)
Sere governs resonance, vibration, rhythm, and the relationship between interacting forces. It is used to synchronize, disrupt, tune, amplify, or bring separate elements into accord.
CORA (BLUE)
ADAPTATION [TASTE]
1V (or 2V if Threads)
[FRONT]
CORRUPTION
If flipped, gain Wither Seedling.
[BACK]
CORA (Blue Thread) ADAPTATION (Taste)
Cora governs change, survival, and response to surrounding conditions. It is used to alter, evolve, withstand, imitate, or react to environmental pressure.
NARI (VIOLET)
ABUNDANCE
[SMELL]
1V (or 2V if Threads)
[FRONT]
CORRUPTION
If flipped, gain Wither Seedling.
[BACK]
NARI (Violet Thread) ABUNDANCE (Smell)
Nari governs growth, propagation, fertility, accumulation, and unseen living presence. It is used to expand, multiply, cultivate, spread, or encourage life and abundance.
ASPECT TOKENS Copy link
Aspects are Reserve earned through the Hero's actions within the mortal Pathways. They turn previous effort into something the Hero can carry forward: momentum from physical action, leverage from relationships, useful knowledge, or prepared materials.
An Aspect provides 1 Versatility, or 2 Versatility when used with its associated Pathway. Aspects may also be spent when an ability or Keyword calls for them.
MOMENTUM
1V (or 2V if Prowess)
[FRONT & BACK]
MOMENTUM (Prowess)
Momentum is physical drive carried forward from action. It may be used to press an advantage, maintain pressure, extend movement, or build upon an opening already created.
CONNECTIONS
1V (or 2V if Influence)
[FRONT & BACK]
CONNECTIONS (Influence)
Connections are relationships, favors, trust, obligations, and social access a Hero can draw upon. They may be used for persuasion, assistance, coordination, introductions, or leverage.
STORIES
1V (or 2V if Lore)
[FRONT & BACK]
STORIES (Lore)
Stories are useful knowledge gathered, remembered, or uncovered through play. They may provide context, reveal relationships, support interpretation, or help the Hero make an informed choice.
RESOURCES 1V (or 2V if Skill)
[FRONT & BACK]
RESOURCES (Skill)
Resources are tools, materials, supplies, and prepared assets available to the Hero. They may be used for crafting, repairs, preparation, construction, or practical problem-solving.
Reserve Expiration Table Copy link
Reserve does not always remain available indefinitely. Some forms persist until spent, while others depend upon the circumstances that created them. When those circumstances end, the WorldKeeper may remove the associated Reserve or return it to Potential.
Reserve Token | Represents | Recommended Expiration |
|---|---|---|
Momentum | Physical flow, aggression, sustained action | Lose all after 1 Full Rest (5 Minor Time) |
Connections | Active leverage, favors, emotional influence | Lose all after leaving the current Settlement, Faction Space, or Social Arc |
Stories | Immediate relevance, contextual insight, gathered knowledge | Lose all after the related Obstacle, Mystery, Region, or Objective changes significantly |
Resources | Prepared tools, staged materials, crafted readiness | Lose all after the current Expedition, Project, or Major Obstacle concludes |
Order | Divine structure and disciplined authority | Persists until spent, but may lose 1 after a major violation of Order-aligned behavior |
Balance | Equilibrium and mediation | Persists until spent, but may fade after dramatic narrative imbalance or prolonged inactivity |
Chaos | Escalation, instability, volatile force | Lose 1 after each Major Time if not actively escalated or spent |
Dalo | Dominance, pressure, force | Lose all after leaving the current Conflict, Territory, or controlled situation |
Jatu | Guidance, clarity, foresight | Lose all after the current Journey, Discovery, or Decision Point resolves |
Sere | Harmony, resonance, synchronization | Lose all after the current Scene unless reinforced through continued cooperation or Thread use |
Cora | Adaptation and reactive transformation | Lose all after conditions stabilize or after 1 Major Time without environmental pressure |
Nari | Growth, spread, abundance | Lose all after a Full Rest unless actively cultivated or expanded |
Time Reference Copy link
Time Unit | Meaning |
|---|---|
Minor Time | One meaningful step, transition, or stretch of activity within a Scene |
Major Time | The wider-world development after three Minor Time steps in a Morning, Day, or Night Scene. |
Full Rest | Five Minor Times spent recovering, sleeping, or stabilizing |
GAIN & TRAININGCopy link
A legal Gain action needs no Performance Check. Pay Fatigue according to the selected capability’s Training: Untrained 3, Trained 2, Adept 1, Master 0, Exemplar 0. Resolve the appropriate preparation or Reserve effect and respect its access and capacity rules. Do not add Wear, Impact, or Exertion to this no-check Gain.
LINK · CONNECTION TO THE THREAD NETWORKCopy link
Link marks an established connection to the Thread network. Gain using Threads establishes the Link marker and pays the normal Training-based Gain Fatigue once the connection is successfully placed. Creating the marker does not exchange a Potential Token. A WorldKeeper-issued Link is an award, not a second free Gain action.
While Link is active, it enables Gain through an eligible Sense, subject to that Sense’s access and the relevant Thread rules. Link expires at the next resolved Major Time draw; extending the connection requires establishing it again and paying the applicable Gain cost.
LINK · SHARED ACCESS IN DEVELOPMENTCopy link
A Link is intended to let others tap the same connection. The procedure for sharing access and whether it avoids Vel’s draw are still being developed. Until those rules are defined, Link grants no automatic bypass of Vel, immunity to corruption, extra free Threads, or unlimited shared access.