Introduction to Flagstone

Introduction to Flagstone

Welcome to Flagstone, Dreamers! For those new to Table-Top Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs), TTRPGs are story driven adventure games played with friends where you, the player, take on the role of your character. This type of gameplay has a long and successful history of building friendships and telling epic stories of adventure, intrigue, betrayal, and magic. The action in these adventures is mediated by the rules of the game. In practice, this means that you attempt to do things, but you are not guaranteed success.

Flagstones rules are all about choice, prioritization, and freedom. To start with, it's worth taking a quick peak at the Glossary contains a list of the core elements of Flagstone. The website is laid out in such a way that, if you follow the links in order, you can walk through character creation step by step and have the relevant terms and rules explained prior to having to make major decisions. However, that is not always possible, so the glossary is a quick reference if you don't understand what some word or phrase is.

There are no 'wrong' choices in Flagstone. There are things that are less advantageous in different situations. This will inevitably lead to your character getting into a situation that they are not well equipped for. This will be frustrating! Don't panic! As long as you survive, you can always strengthen your weak points. Flagstone is all about character growth and development. Don't be afraid to take risks, because that is where you will find your adventure!

Designer's Note

R.A. Vaught (A.K.A. Kikem) here with a quick note on rules and mechanics. Rules are the limitations that define the game we are playing. If we are not playing by the same rules then we are not playing the same game. However, rules may be bent and sometimes even broken by mechanics. If a mechanic breaks a rule it should do so in service to a more fundamental rule. These more fundamental rules are the principles or pillars of the game. Some games have balance or uniformity as a principle, forcing all characters fall within a narrow window of possibility space. Flagstone is not one of those games. Flagstone has two core principles; Fun and 'Prioritized Choice and Consequences'.

The principle of Prioritized Choice and Consequences is the easier of the two to explain. At every stage of the game the player has to make choices, sometimes between many good things, sometimes between necessary evils, and sometimes the lesser of two evils. Players are forced to prioritize which things are most important for them to upgrade, often at the cost of some other thing or some penalty. It is by design and not the evil dictatorial whims of a malignant GM.

These choices, once made, can not be unmade. Recanting choices once the die has been cast, figuratively and literally, violates the core principle of Prioritized Choice and Consequence and is not allowed. To do so robs the player of the consequences of their actions AND the opportunity for exciting and interesting developments for the story, the other players, and their characters, even if that interesting development is the untimely demise of a character. If a GM allows this they are not running a game of Flagstone, they are playing a different game where choices, good, bad, or otherwise, do not matter. If a player does not want their character to accept the consequences of their actions, then the player is not playing Flagstone; they are playing a different game, a game of wish fulfillment.

This may sound negative, harsh, or unforgiving. However, consider also the corollary. Every achievement and viable choice must also be respected. When a player chooses a path or discovers a mechanic that allows them an unprecedented power those choices and their outcome should be respected. If the player determines how to manipulate and combine the rules in a manner that allows them to do insane things their creativity should be rewarded. The game of Prioritized Choice and Consequence rewards as well as punishes and enables more than it restricts. In doing so, it allows for mechanical situations and diversity that allow the players to generate creative solutions and thus have Fun.

So, when, if ever, should this most sacred of rules be violated? The answer is only in service to the more fundamental principle of Fun. The players AND the GM are the most important element of Flagstone. They are more important than the rules, more important than the story, and even more important than the game itself. If the players OR the GM are not having Fun, then something may need to change. Most people consider the players to be the only priority, but GM's put a lot of work into crafting amazing stories. They honor their friends by allowing them to take part in the telling of the story and they honor us here at Flagstone by telling those stories within the framework of our rules and campaign setting. Without both players and GMs Flagstone is just a bunch of words. The rules and mechanics of Flagstone are fair to the best we are able to make them. If someone finds something truly broken, let us know and we will take a look. Push to create vibrant worlds, outlandish characters, amazing stories and have grand adventures to discover the most precious treasure you will ever find: each other.