Session Flow

From Nechronica Wiki Translation Project

You've created your Dolls. The sisters have gained their Fetters towards each other. At last, it's time for the Necromancer to start the Session.

One cannot avoid conflict during a session of Nechronica. Each Session centers around a single battle. There should not be multiple battles during a single Session. If it is necessary that several battles occur in the same location, they should span multiple Sessions.

Below are the three phases into which a Nechronica Session is divided.

  • Adventure Phase: The heart of the Session's story. Depicts the Dolls' situation and the incidents they inevitably become embroiled in.
  • Battle Phase: The heart of the Session's gameplay. The dolls bare their fangs, and fight against other undead, mutants, and such foes.
  • End Phase: Last rites as the story and the game both come to an end.

Please take note that some rules differ depending on which phase the Session is in.

Adventure Phase[edit]

Once the Dolls are made, their Fetters decided, the session opens with the Adventure Phase.

Depending on the scenario, the length of this Phase may vary. There may be little to it, or it may last a considerable amount of time.

Below are events that take place during this Phase.

Announcement of Karma[edit]

"Karma" refers to the goals that the Necromancer specifies for the Dolls to accomplish. Each Doll should have an understanding of her Karma. Thus, if the Karma are related to secrets within the coming Session, it's acceptable to wait until the Battle Phase to reveal them.

Understanding the Situation[edit]

At the same time as their Karma is declared, the Necromancer should make clear to the Dolls where they are and what situation they are in. They should listen well and ask questions about anything they don't understand.

The Necromancer's description will allow the Players to decide which actions their Dolls should take. They should begin by reacting to the situation as the Necromancer described it, expressing their thoughts and feelings towards the other Dolls.

Conversation between the Dolls[edit]

In order to come to a better understanding of their Positions and the Fetters borne between them, the Dolls should converse with each other at this time. Upon this occasion or any other when they converse with one another, they may make a Conversation Check and reduce their Madness Points.

An Incident Arises[edit]

Rarely will the situation in which the Dolls were placed stay the same for long. The Dolls themselves may notice something or take some action which causes it to change. The Players will thus involve their Dolls in an incident. If too long passes without anything unexpected happening, the minds and bodies of the Dolls will slowly break down.

Action Checks may be rolled to determine the results of the Dolls' actions. In addition, if they notice or witness something terrifying, they should make Madness Checks.

Encountering the Enemy[edit]

The Dolls must encounter enemies they cannot avoid fighting. If the enemies have wills of their own, it may be possible to converse with them first. However, regardless of the enemies' disposition, they should stand to benefit from combat and make an effort to provoke it.

If there's no room for talk, it's also common for a fight to break out as soon as the parties meet.

When the battle starts, the Adventure Phase is over. The Battle Phase has begun.

Battle Phase[edit]

Rarely does a session of Nechronica end without conflict. Below are described the events of this Phase.

Before the Battle[edit]

If the Karma was not announced during the Adventure Phase, it should be announced at this time. Each Doll should have an understanding of her Karma.

Next, the Victory Condition should be specified. The Necromancer must declare a Victory Condition upon beginning the Battle Phase.

Finally, if any of the Dolls have Skills or Madness penalties that occur at the beginning of combat, they should take effect. After each player has carried out their preconditions, combat can begin.

Battle[edit]

The rules for combat are in a following section. Combat ends when the Dolls satisfy the Victory Condition or are completely destroyed. If the Dolls were completely destroyed, skip directly to the Ending.

After the Battle[edit]

After they have won the battle, those Dolls whose Treasures were not damaged may remove a Madness Point from their Fetters towards them. if any of the Dolls have Skills or Madness penalties that occur at the end of combat, they should take effect. Each player should carry out their postconditions. After everything related to combat has been finished, the Battle Phase ends and the End Phase begins.

End Phase[edit]

When combat is over, the Session enters its final Phase. The steps of the End Phase are listed below. However, if the Battle Phase ended due to the Dolls being destroyed, only the Ending and receiving Favor Points are necessary.

Repairing Parts[edit]

At this time during the Session, the Dolls may be allowed to repair their damaged Parts. The details of this are up to the Necromancer.

Conversation between the Dolls[edit]

Just as during the Adventure Phase, the Dolls are welcome to make Conversation Checks.

The Ending[edit]

The incident has been resolved, the battle has been won, and now the story is coming to a close. But there's still time to make Action Checks and Madness Checks.

The Dolls may have escaped from the enemy, learned new information, or even discovered some kind of faint hope for the future. Through vivid description, the Necromancer should strive to elicit a reaction from the Players and their Dolls.

The Next Session[edit]

After the story of the Session has ended, the Necromancer should award Favor Points to each player. This happens even if their Dolls were destroyed. The Players can spend Favor Points to enhance their Dolls' abilities. After the Favor Points have been given out, the Session comes to an end. If there's still time left, everyone can move straight on to the next Session.