Apotheosis is a multi-layered game that takes place in three phases: pre-narrative, narrative, and post-narrative. Each phase allows the player to play a role and facilitates a specific mode of play. I?m focusing on the second stage, the narrative stage. The Narrative Stage is when the majority of play occurs and it musts resembles a typical role-playing game. I believe my resolution and narration system, although obviously a synthesis of years of experience, is new in and of itself. Is it? If not, I?d appreciate guidance towards specific sources to help me better understand my own system and how it relates to others. Even if it is original, similar sources would be great to compare and contrast with. Also, is this piece of work coherent and does it seem practical in play? Does it have particular feel to it?

The game itself is predicated on conflict during the narrative phase. Everything can conceivably be an entity and every entity can undergo conflict within itself and without itself. Does conflict define who and what we are? What does how we pick and handle conflicts say about us?

Some major conventions and components have been left out for the sake of clarity (such as the other phases of play). Is this still cohesive and consistent or is more information needed to really grasp the system?

This focuses on the conflict structure and system because it is an integral part to the narrative phase of play.

Also, I use the terms entity and player interchangeably in several instances. Is this confusing or intuitive?

There is an example at the very end to help illustrate everything.

Narrative Structure
The narrative is the story in which the players control entities.

The narrative consists of three components: Reality, Setting, and Mythos.

The narrative reality defines the explicit axioms and boundaries of the narrative.

The narrative setting defines the environment and backdrop of the narrative.

The narrative mythos defines the myth and mythology of the narrative.

Entity Composition
Entities are components of the narrative that are defined by traits and elements.

Traits are fundamental categories that determine how an entity exists in the narrative.

Elements are associated with traits. Elements help influence the workings of a particular trait in some way.

The important trait for conflict is Tapestry.

Tapestry defines the fundamental relationship an entity has with the narrative mythos.

The elements of Tapestry are Patterns, Threads, and Weaves.

Patterns are the firmament of narrative reality. Patterns are prototypal figments of both setting and mythos.

Threads are strands of being that an entity possesses.

Weaves are bundled features that an entity possesses.

Narrative ComplicationsThe form of complication that we?re focusing on is conflict.

Conflicts are the result of multiple entities vying for narrative priority.

Conflict Orientations
An entity?s orientation during a conflict determines how an entity may interact in the context of that conflict. Conflict Orientation occurs during the Initiation Stage and may be modified during the Interaction Stage.

Initial Engagement
Initial engagement occurs when an entity initiates a conflict. The initiator of the conflict is initially engaged before any other entities. For all intents and purposes otherwise the initiator is considered to be oriented toward Active Engagement.

Active Engagement
Active engagement occurs when an entity becomes engaged during the Initiation Stage and is not the initiator. The entity is an active participant in the conflict. Active participants can create goals and acquire narrative priority.

Passive Engagement
Passive engagement occurs when an entity becomes engaged during the Interaction Stage instead of the Initiation Stage. The entity is a passive participant in the conflict. Passive participants can neither create goals, nor acquire narrative priority. Passive participants may only support active participants.

Passive Disengagement
Passive disengagement occurs when an entity is not engaged during the Initiation Stage. This entity is not a part of the conflict proper. The entity may become engaged during the Interaction Stage. If this occurs entity becomes passively engaged.

Active Disengagement
Active disengagement occurs when an entity leaves a conflict during the Interaction Stage. The entity is removed from the conflict completely and may not reengage in the same conflict. The entity?s goal remains if at least a single active participant remains. If no active participants remain the conflict is concluded with no resolution or narration. If only a single active participant remains, that participant acquires narrative priority.

Final Disengagement
Final disengagement occurs at the end of a conflict. All participants in the conflict become disengaged and may not reengage in the same conflict. The conflict has been resolved, undergone narration, and finally concluded.

Conflict Stages
Conflicts are broken down into five discrete stages. During each stage a player may take a prescribed action.

Initiation
Any player may initiate a conflict. Any players that wish to participate in the conflict at this stage may do so. Any players that wish to remain extracted from the conflict may do so as well. The initiator is immediately oriented toward Initial Engagement and all other participants are oriented toward Active Engagement. All non-participants are oriented towards Passive Disengagement.

Declaration
Active participants state their goals, if any. There must be at least two mutually divergent goals in any conflict. If only a single goal is declared that goal goes into effect as stated. Multiple participants can support a single goal. A single participant cannot support multiple goals. Participants do not need to state which goals they will end up supporting at this time. Goals can be purely interpretative and affect the course of the narrative. Goals cannot be direct transmogrifications of an entity. A crisis must occur to transmogrify an entity.

Interaction
Active participants may reorient themselves towards Active Disengagement. Active participants may also take influential actions. Non-participants may reorient themselves towards Passive Engagement and take influential actions as soon as they become passive participants. Instead of taking influential actions a participant may perform incidental actions. Non-participants may only perform incidental actions.

Resolution
Active participants may spend a single Fortune to garner a single die. Each die may be rolled to gain a narrative opportunity. If an even number is rolled, a single narrative opportunity is gained. This can be done as many times as an active participant desires. Active participants may also spend Karma to gain automatic narrative opportunities at a 1:1 exchange ratio. The active participant with the most narrative opportunities gains narrative priority and becomes the narrator for the rest of the conflict. Passive participants may spend fortune and karma too. Passive participants may not become narrators. Any participant may reserve their opportunities for themselves. Alternatively, participants may add or subtract their opportunities from other participant?s opportunities. If, at the end of the resolution stage, no active participant has narrative priority the conflict ends without resolution or narration. The initiator of the conflict gains an extra Fortune for initiating the conflict.

Narration
The narrator determines which goals manifest. The narrator may pick one or more goals (or a compromise between multiple goals). They narrator cannot incorporate more goals into the narration than it has remaining opportunities. All entities become oriented toward Final Disengagement at the end of the conflict?s Narration Stage.

Incidental Actions
An incidental action is any action that does not have a dire or direct impact on the resolution of a conflict.

Concept Notes
Patterns are a meta-mythical resource. They are not unlike ?action points? or ?luck? in other games. Tapestry acts as a ?mythic? limit on an entity?s actions. It?s not unlike a traditional RPG?s ?level? mechanic or ?skill? rating.

Influential Actions
During the Interaction Stage engaged players may take influential actions. These actions can have a dire and direct impact on the resolution of a conflict.

Patterning
An appropriate number of patterns equal to or less than the current Tapestry may be spent. Each spent pattern may be contributed towards one or more options.

Option
+1 Fortune (1 Pattern)
-1 Fortune (2 Patterns)
+1 Karma (3 Patterns)
-1 Karma (4 Patterns)
+1 Goal (5 Patterns)
-1 Goal (6 Patterns)
Reorientat Self (7 Patterns)
Reorient Other (8 Patterns)

*Fortune is spent to grant an entity one die (per fortune) to roll during the Resolution Stage. Even rolls garner narrative opportunities.

**Karma is spent to grant an entity one automatic narrative opportunity (per karma) during the Resolution Stage.

***These goals are treated as if they were declared goals for all purposes.

****This is the only other time an entity may reorient itself. This is the only time an player may ever reorient someone beside itself.

When adding or subtracting fortunes, karma, and goals...any entities resources may be modified. So, I could add to my own Fortune or my opponent's Fortune.

Threading
Appropriate threads may be activated to increase the current Tapestry. The threads increase the tapestry by a specific amount (usually one) at no cost. An entity can activate a number of threads equal to or less than its Legacy.

Weaving
Appropriate weaves may be activated to increase the current Tapestry. The weaves increase the tapestry by a specific amount (usually one) for each pattern spent to activate the weave. An entity can activate a number of weaves equal to or less than its Legacy.

Brief Mechanics Example
King Arthur is engaged in a conflict with Morgan. King Arthur has a current Tapestry of 3. He has the thread, ?Excalibur Strikes True? and the weave, ?I am a Knighted Swordsman.? He has twelve patterns available. Arthur wants to subdue Morgan with his weapon. He is looking for at least 7 Fortune (and thus dice) for himself. Arthur activates his single thread to add one to his Tapestry, raising it to 4. Arthur also activates his weave with three patterns. This drains him of three patterns and raises his Tapestry to 7. He now has nine patterns to spend. He spends seven (up to his limit for a Tapestry of 7) to gain 7 dice (Fortune). He has two patterns left.

Make sense?