The wanderer knows not what waits beyond the forest, but knows well how to navigate the steps to travel there. The Augur’s path offers a framework for mediating the actions characters make that will allow them to move through a scenario and gain valuable experience along the way.

As explored in Decisions and Actions, players and the narrator work together to bring character actions to life within a scenario. Once actions are called into purpose, the path guides the players toward the outcome. Mediating actions facilitates the shifting of a scenario based on how the characters interact with it.

It is important to note that not every action within a scenario requires mediation. If the player wishes their character to pick up a stone or point at a nearby landmark, there is no reason why such an action should need to be mediated. The narrator should call for mediation in moments when a character’s action presents potential risk and potential reward. These are the actions that require meaningful focus and offer opportunities for shifting the scenario based on the outcome of the action.

With a firm understanding of the setting and of the risks and rewards connected to a player’s action, the narrator will have the responsibility of interpreting the difficulty of those actions in most scenarios. A difficulty hierarchy generally follows the following pattern.

Difficulty Value (DV)	Average Chance of Success	Description
4	~ 99%	Effortless
8	~ 80%	Easy
10	~ 50%	Balanced
12	~ 25%	Standard
14	~ 15%	Heightened
16	~ 5%	Challenging
18	~ 1%	Improbable
≥ 20	< 1%	Impossible

When the player proposes an action, the narrator uses their knowledge of the setting to establish a general idea of the difficulty. The narrator may or may not share the specific DV with the players, instead opting to keep that value secret, or simply share the level of difficulty in descriptive words.

The narrator then qualifies the type of action. Typically, player proposed actions are either insights or tasks. Insights should always be specifically fleshed out for a setting, but tasks may or may not be specifically defined. With the type of action established, the narrator confirms the action test that the player should make. As an example, if the player intended their character to lift a heavy log to clear a path, the narrator might recognize the size of the log and deem this action to be a challenging task, with a source attribute of STR. The narrator would ask the player to make a STR action test, with a difficulty value of 16.

Making the action test utilizes the core mechanic. The player will make the test as follows.

Roll [3d6]

+ Add the source attribute bonus / penalty

+ Add any applicable adjustments, such as training or altered states

The sum of the full test after calculating source attributes and adjustments is measured against the narrator’s noted difficulty value.

Success is measured when the action test exceeds the DV. When the player’s action test is successful, the player’s intended character action proceeds as the player has envisioned. The narrator should invite the player to describe the scene. Some actions will have simple pass or fail elements, while others will have more complex outcomes. For example, one task might be opening a locked door, in which case the success will deem the door is now unlocked. Another action may involve setting fire to a collection of crates, in which case success will deem the fire begins to grow over time from the point of its initiation, which might cause nearby characters to rush in and attempt to put it out. The narrator will work with the players to guide actions with lasting effects. In established game compendiums, there will be additional rules to guide these actions.

A close call happens when the action test result ties with the established DV. A close call offers the player an opportunity to claim success, but at a risk of fumble on their character’s next action. If the player chooses to claim success, the narrator will roll the same action test in secret. If the narrator’s test succeeds, the character’s next action will proceed as usual. If the narrator’s test fails, the character’s next action will be considered a fumble. Alternatively, the player can choose to consider a close call to be a failed action.

Failed actions are tests that score below the established DV. When an action fails, the player’s intended goal for the action cannot be completed, and the narrator should describe the scene and give the player character a moment to react.

Some simple pass or fail actions may have no direct consequences for failure. As an example, the character may attempt to shoot an arrow at a target. This failed action would simply mean the character has missed the target and can try again. However, in many scenarios a failed action will have consequences. In established game compendiums, the consequences of any failed action are noted depending on the action, but in every case the narrator will have discretion for describing the consequences. The narrator can also work together with the players to help describe a failed action scenario.

Repeating actions that have failed may be possible, depending on the setting and the scenario. The path encourages the narrator to increase the difficulty value of repeated actions where risk is involved. As an example, a failed attempt at opening a locked door could be repeated, but at a higher difficulty, or at the risk that another failure will break the mechanisms to the lock, causing further repetition to be impossible. Increased risk will add to the tension of a scenario and build meaningful moments of development for characters.

Collaborative actions are also mediated with the path. Each player character engaging an action collaboratively should make an action roll. The highest sum from the action rolls will be the sum used for the action test. For source attributes and adjustments, the highest values and bonuses from the participating group will be used for calculating the action test. Failed collaborative actions will likely have consequences for the whole group. Successful collaborative actions should yield a boost in collective morale, and the narrator is encouraged to offer temporary adjustments for future actions after successful collaborations.