# The Table PaqueStone is designed for group play led by a game master, often around a physical or virtual tabletop. ## Game Masters The game master, or GM, is the person who controls the narrative in order for the game to function. It is the GM’s role to create and run the game. Rather than controlling an individual agent, the game master plays from the perspective of the world at large. They control all of the monsters, creatures, characters, vessels, domains, etc. that the player agents can engage with during gameplay. GM entities are collectively referred to as non-player constructs, or NPCs. Although they control antagonistic forces, a GM is not themself _opposed_ to the players. Rather, when players have their agents perform actions, it is the GM who uses dice, rules, and knowledge of their world to explain what effects and results these actions have. If anything arises which does not have an immediately clear resolution during play, the GM is the arbiter of the rules of the game; their decisions are final. ### When to Call for a Roll Many actions which players want their agent to perform are daring, heroic, and often risky. The purpose of rolling dice in PaqueStone is to determine the result of an action that: 1. Has a plausible, but uncertain, chance of succeeding or failing. 2. Is impactful to the narrative. Examples of actions which automatically require rolls are combat actions such as attacks and overtures. There is no guarantee an attack or overture will successfully affect a target, and damage or stress suffered is directly impactful to the outcome of combat. ### When Not to Call for a Roll As aforementioned, the purpose of rolling dice in PaqueStone is to determine the result of an action that: 1. Has a plausible, but uncertain, chance of succeeding or failing. 2. Is impactful to the narrative. If one or neither of the above parameters are present, it is most likely that a roll is not required to resolve the current situation. An extremely difficult roll that would have no effect on the narrative may be automatically considered a failure, in much the same way an action an agent regularly performs without a roll but is now impactful to the story would not suddenly require a roll to succeed. ### How to Call for a Roll ### Reporting Rolls Paquestone is designed to have a smooth one-two approach to quickly resolving dice rolls. When the GM calls for a roll, the die a player should roll, as well as the margins of success and failure, are self-contained. A player can roll the die and simply report the margin of success without needing any further explanation from the GM. These mechanics speed up the pace at which information is conveyed, and reduces the amount of brain-strain required for the GM, who has several other calculations to make during gameplay. This method, while efficient, is not suitable for all tables, and GMs are free to amend the way in which they request players report their rolls. ## Players **Players** create [[i. Agents|agents]] through whom they can experience the [[ii. The Table|GM]]'s world. Players are provided information on the world around their agent by the game master, and the players choose what their agents do in response to this information. By means of continuous interaction in this way, the players have the opportunity to collaboratively create a story with the GM. ### Reporting Rolls