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What Is Pause?

2016-05-29T17:01:37Z

2601:1C0:4B00:7BEB:4BB:F587:FB3C:2C3F:

(related to the Pause game.)
==History==
Pause is a [[/tg/'s homebrews|game idea]] by [[Earthflame]] made into a full system with the help of [[JSCervini]]. The basic concept is that time freezes and the [[PC|PCs]] must sort out what has gone wrong. They get time-manipulation-related powers to help them along the way. At least that's the short of it.

==Summary==

'''''Pause''''' is a game of space, time, and everything in between. More specifically, it is a game of what happens in between moments in time. Many things happen during these slivers of our existence, things in which most people cannot grasp in such a short period of time. You and a select few however, are not “most people.” People like you can experience and determine what happens in between these moments.

==Story-Telling==
At its core, '''''Pause''''' is a story-telling game with a number of components. '''Players''' assume the role of characters who somehow have gained the ability to act in a frozen moment of time. The characters also play out their lives in between these moments, generally investigating into the phenomenon of those frozen moments.

The Players are joined by a '''Coordinator''', the person who assumes the role of everyone else – the remainder of the citizenry, the institutions, key characters, villains, so forth and so on. The Coordinator is also responsible for maintaining the story as it progresses, as well as adapting it whenever the characters bring the story in an unexpected direction than what the Coordinator has planned.

Together, the Players and the Coordinator play out a story in a setting of mystery, intrigue, and drama. There is no predetermined goal of saving a princess or gathering precious loot, but rather the goal of weaving a story that both the Players and the Coordinator will enjoy.

==Setting and Mood==
For the sake of simplicity and accessibility, the setting presented in this wiki is modern-day human civilization. However, the rules in this manual can apply to almost any setting ranging from the civilized past to the far future, so Coordinators can feel free to come up with stories that deal with this theme in another age.

Despite the flexibility of the setting, '''''Pause''''' primarily has a feel of investigation and discovery. The characters should be treated as regular people who have been thrust into the strange and unfamiliar world of the frozen moment. Characters should have trouble initially understanding this phenomenon, but slowly learning more and more as the story continues.

Death is also very real in '''''Pause''''', be it through happenings in the normal world, or through terrible failure in the frozen moment. When characters die, they are gone permanently, unable to be revived through metaphysical means as in most story-telling games.

Overall, the mood is that of a dramatically enhanced real world. It is a world fraught with danger, but also the chance to learn secrets previously unknown to humankind.

==Chance==
Like many story-telling games, there is always an element of chance. This random element is represented by the throwing of dice. In '''''Pause''''', dice are used primarily for two functions: conducting combat and tests within the frozen moment; and resolving situations in between those moments which are too close to call through role-playing alone.

'''''Pause''''' uses only one type of die – the ten-sided die ('''“d10”'''). During the aforementioned situations, Players throw a number of d10's, which represent a character's attempt to succeed in a given task, be it damaging an enemy, solving a puzzle, intimidating someone who is withholding information, so forth and so on. The results are compared against a '''target number''' which the Coordinator issues before the Player rolls the dice. With exception, if at least one of the dice scores above the target number, the character succeeds in the task.

==Flexibility==
The Coordinator is encouraged to exhibit some flexibility in how the game is run. While dice rolls can offer resolution when it would be too difficult and lengthy in the case of a close call, effective role-playing can help determine an outcome even before assigning a target number. This is especially the case when a character suggests a creative and unorthodox, but completely justifiable solution to a task that the Coordinator has not expected. The Coordinator's actions should feed from those of the Players, and vice versa. Remember, the goal is to create a great story that combines the efforts of both the Coordinator and the Players.

==Finally...==
...Have fun! If the Players and the Coordinator aren't having fun, they shouldn't be playing '''''Pause'''''!

==Links==
[http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/articles.html?post=446 Earthflame's article on sup/tg/].
[http://thatnewgamestudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/pause-playtest-rules-031.html Current rules in PDF on ThatNewGame].

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Proceed to [[Stories in Pause]]

Coordinating Pause

2016-05-29T17:00:25Z

2601:1C0:4B00:7BEB:4BB:F587:FB3C:2C3F:

(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)
==Structure of a Story==

As stated earlier in the manual, the primary focus of '''''Pause''''' is that both the Players and the Coordinator – the person controlling the elements that are not the Players' characters – create a story. With this in mind, it is important for a Coordinator to become familiar with the traditional structure of a dramatic story. Please note that all stories do not require this particular format, but this synopsis could be a good reference if the Coordinator is having trouble forming the basis of the story.

===Exposition===

The exposition is usually the beginning of the story. It serves as a way for the audience – the Players in this case – become acquainted with important details about the story. Characters, setting, mood, possibly a conflict.

<blockquote>
''It was a long, hot summer day in the city. The air was thick enough to cut through with a knife, and the tension leading up to the news conference was about as much. Just why did the police let that creep go anyway? He butchered all those little girls. They even have the evidence to put him away! I wouldn't know what the Commissioner can say that can make any sense out of this.''
</blockquote>

===Impetus===

After the Players become familiar with the important details about the workings of the story, this is the moment that puts the story into motion. This may be the first conflict or maybe the discovery of something that is amiss.

<blockquote>
''I had to turn up the volume to drown out the hum of the air conditioner. The news conference was starting. But just as that fat, bald mess of a Commissioner was about to say anything, the picture just froze. No motion. No sound. No nothing! I was just about to reach over to smack the television some to get it to work, but I suddenly felt really heavy. Even the air felt heavier than I thought it was. I thought I was having a heart attack or something.''
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''But then I looked out of the window and saw that a pigeon was suspended in the air. In mid-flight. I wasn't having a heart attack – I was going crazy!''
</blockquote>

===Rising Action===

With the conflict in motion, other factors come in to complicate it: secondary conflicts, obstacles, antagonistic characters, so forth and so on. During this part of the story, lesser antagonists and side problems can be introduced to make the characters closer to the core conflict of the story.

<blockquote>
''I had to get out of the apartment! Of course, the elevator wasn't working, so I had to take the stairs down. After what felt like an eternity, I made it down to the lobby. The sight was something that could put anyone in a mental hospital, not just me: a crowd of people just stopped into place. The sound though... that was even worse. Deafening silence.''
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''It was a silence that was only broken by a little girl's giggle. I looked everywhere for the source of that giggle, but only found the passing shadow of... something... weaving through the crowd. I wasn't too thrilled, but it seemed like following this thing was going to be the only way out.''
</blockquote>

===Climax===

This is the turning point in the story. Characters begin to truly understand the situation around them. Their fortunes also tend to turn at this point – one of the forces gains the upper hand in the conflict. Bear in mind that the climax does not always mean that things will go well for the characters. They just may get worse.

<blockquote>
''Following that damned shadow I found myself outside on the street. Everything was frozen in time, from people to birds, even to the plastic bags caught in a now still wind. As I continued to look around, the shadow wasn't there anymore, but rather a small girl in a dress was standing in front of a twisting pillar of blinding light.''
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''I felt something sinister from the girl, and even more so from the light. Was this the cause of whatever stopped everything in place? In any case, I was somehow able to move when everyone else couldn't. There must be something I can do about it.''
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''The next thing I know, I am holding a spear of some sort. There's definitely something I can do about this!''
</blockquote>

===Falling Action===

After the climax, the conflict heads toward a resolution. The forces of opposition square off against each other in some way. In due time, the direction of the action will become clear as resolution nears.

<blockquote>
''I approached the girl and the light with the spear tight in my fist. With each step, it feels like my very existence is becoming unraveled more and more. It wasn't a criminal at all who was killing the little girls – they were just defending themselves from what only looked like little girls. Their existence was at risk... not just their existence, but that of everyone else as well.''
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''This thing was very clever. Sacrifice itself over and over again and dwindle down the numbers of those who can fight future threats. I can't just aim for the girl. But also the light. The light has to be killed too.''
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''I lift the spear over my head and throw with all the faith I can muster. Existence itself is on the line and I'm the one who has to make this shot count!''
</blockquote>

===Resolution===

The action winds down to a conclusion. Sometimes the conclusion can be that of accomplishment or even victory over the opposition. At others, it can lead to catastrophe where the characters are even worse off than before. It can even only answer one or some of many questions, leading into other stories in the future.

<blockquote>
''I trembled as my hand let go of the spear, time seemingly slowing down even further as I watched the pole sail through the still air. But somehow, despite all of this, the point of the spear hit its target tried and true. With a crunch, the spear jutted into the girl's chest, the force of the blow enough to bring the spear into the light as well.''
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''What followed the deafening silence of the moment was the equally deafening wail of the girl as the light swallowed her whole. But before the light disappeared, I heard the girl's voice.''
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''“Thank you,” she said. Perhaps she wasn't behind this after all.''
</blockquote>

==Elements of a Story==

In almost all stories, especially dramatic stories, there is some sort of meaning which can be gleaned. Here are some elements to keep in mind when coming up with a story.

===Theme===

The theme is an overriding idea which can be found throughout the entire story. It can be simple, such as “Defend those who cannot defend themselves,” or complex, such as “Life may be finite, but existence is eternal.”

Themes do not need to be obvious to the Players. Rather, it should be something that becomes clearer and clearer to the Players as the story progresses. Start a story with very subtle and obscure hints to it, revealing bigger and bigger clues as the characters delve deeper into the story.

===Setting===

The setting is the time, place, and events in which the story takes place. It serves as a frame of reference for everything from what would be considered appropriate behavior to what information a character should pay attention to.

As explained at the beginning of the manual, the default setting for '''''Pause''''' is a modern-day city. This is so because it makes it easier for both Players and the Coordinator to get right into it. However, the setting can theoretically just about any time or place where events deal between people.

===Mood===

The mood is the general feel of the story. It is the collective emotions and sensations Players experience during the story. Movie genres serve as a good analog to the concept of the mood. For instance, a comedy has a lighthearted mood while film noir espouses a dark and gritty mood.

In '''''Pause''''', the mood would be akin to that of a thriller, but with supernatural elements. There should be suspense, but also a growing sense of understanding as the story unfolds. Like the setting though, the Coordinator is free to use a different setting, if it means creating a great story to share with the Players.

===Plot===

The plot is the actual sequence of events that transpire throughout the story. It is the vehicle for delivering the theme, setting, and mood throughout the structure of the story, via the actions of the characters.

Generally speaking, one event usually leads to another, although there can be multiple events going at once. However, it is best to keep the events organized, each event appropriately moving on to the next, be it gradual or sudden.

===Conflict===

A dramatic story is nothing without conflict. Be it between a character and an antagonist or between opposing ideologies, there is usually something that someone or some group is against.

The ideas posed in '''''Pause''''' present an opportunity for characters to explore conflicts both internal and external, both against a malicious force and against the evils within themselves. These conflicts can be static, such as the case of a villain or mastermind, or they can be fluid, such as one's emotions or other abstract ideas. Conflicts, their participants, and their values may change throughout a story as well.

==Planning a Story==

There are near-infinite ways for a Coordinator to come up with a story. However, this section will focus on creating a story in which multiple voices lend to it – both the Players and the Coordinator.

===Inspiration===

There is always something that gives someone the idea for something else, be it an event he or she has witnessed, a value or moral that is held dear, the sight of something unforgettable, so forth and so on. The same is true with creating a story. Something, somewhere can jog up an idea worth exploring further.

This nugget of information may lead to developments elsewhere: the location of the story; the nature of the characters; the link between the normal Time Flow and the Pauses; the reason for the Anchors' functions. The possibilities are endless, but try to keep them organized as not to create a convoluted mess that none of the Players could follow.

===Premise===

Before writing a single word of the story, the Coordinator should consult with the Players beforehand. What are their characters going to be like? Do they do well in social situations? Do some of them have a criminal history? What are their goals and aspirations in life?

The answers to these questions, along with the inspiration, may help a Coordinator in many ways: to understand how the characters will react to a Pause; to figure out how to get the characters together over time; to fine-tune how the elements of a Pause work in relation to the characters; so forth and so on.

===Details===

Stories written by singular authors tend to go into extended detail about the characters, the events, and the world encompassing them. That is usually because the authors have a lot of control over the elements of the story. Coordinators do not share that luxury due to the Players' participation in the story.

As such, it is best to simply outline where the Coordinator wants to go with the story. Offer a basic sequence of events which can be edited at any time – the Players will likely do something, at some time, which will not at all be predicted. Allow the Players to fill in the blanks and the story could perhaps go to greater heights than originally planned.

===Bangs===

One way to maintain a minimal set of details and still manage to keep the story moving is through the use of bangs. A bang is an important choice between events which the characters can make that can significantly change how the events of the story progress.

For instance, the characters have come to a point where the usual means of closing a Break have failed. They have to think fast because the Aberrations they defeated are again showing signs of life. One of the characters comes up with the idea of using themselves to put his or her Anchor into the Break itself.

However, doing so will surely cost his or her life. The rest of the characters need to decide whether to let him or her go through with the plan, or to stop him or her from doing so and come up with an alternative somehow. Either choice will lead the story in an entirely different direction than the other, while also allowing the characters to put in the fine details of the moment.

===Encounters===

While the world beyond the Time Flow can be a dangerous place as in the previous example, the danger should be incremental in relation to the story's progress. Initial Pauses should be more about the characters discovering what makes a Pause work rather than throwing a bunch of Aberrations at them from the start. Later on as the characters get a handle on how a Pause works, they can use that knowledge to deal with the more dangerous enemies which come to oppose them.

A Coordinator should break up the combat once in a while during the Pauses as well. Instead of making the characters fight enemies all of the time, perhaps present a difficult puzzle once in a while to allow the characters to build upon the knowledge they gained during the story.

===Length===

The length of a story can vary from story to story. There are some stories which can work well as a one-shot, meaning that the entire story from beginning to finish can take only one or two game sessions. Others can go on over a longer period of time, meaning that it can go over weeks or months worth of game sessions.

Creating a one-shot is noticeably easier than a longer story. As such, if a Coordinator chooses the latter of the two, it would be useful to divide the action by game sessions. Think of each session in terms of a chapter or two in a novel. There is a definite series of events in each chapter, as well as a place to begin and a place to end in the chapter.

Again, keep the details reduced to those which must absolutely be explored. When planning a longer story, keep in mind where the story should lead, but considering the unpredictability of the Players, detail out only a chapter at a time and work on future chapters based on the actions of the characters in the previous chapters.

==Coordinating a Story==

In many pen-and-paper role-playing and storytelling games, the role of the person in control of the actions is usually called something like a ''dungeon master,'' ''game master,'' or a ''storyteller.'' These terms tend to suggest that the person in this role has most of the say in the story and that the Players are only his or her pawns in executing the story he or she wants, and little more.

There is reason that the term ''Coordinator'' is used in '''''Pause''''': the Coordinator may be in charge of running the story, but is also subject to the whims of the Players in terms of creating the story. Making a story in Pause is a cooperative affair. The Coordinator's role then is to facilitate the creation of the story without letting it either wither away or to grow out of control. Coordinators can employ a variety of techniques to achieve this task. Some suggestions are as follows.

===Environment===

The environment the Coordinator and the Players play in is paramount to the success of the story. First and foremost, there should be as little distraction as possible. The easiest way to maintain this is to focus all the action around a central point – usually a table. This keeps the Players focused on the action most of the time.

Other than focus, the Players need to be comfortable. They will not want to be around if their seats are rigid and make them sit uncomfortably. Too bright or dim a light and things become difficult or unbearable to read. An air conditioner set too hot or too cold will make them sweat or shiver too much to focus on the story.

Game sessions usually take anywhere from a couple hours to all day, depending on how long and how interesting the story becomes. Keep refreshments on hand, or perhaps suggest the Players to bring their own. Hunger and thirst can reduce the quality of the story, as well as to interrupt it so that the Players can go out to feed themselves.

===Ambiance===

When the playing environment has been established, the Players can focus on the story. However, adding some elements to the environment that relate to the story being created can help the Players focus even more.

Music and soundtracks are an easy start to adding ambiance to the environment. Perhaps an a low-volume recording of the sounds of busy streets can help settle the Players into an urban atmosphere. Unsettling sounds can get them into the feeling a Pause brings upon the characters. Appropriate music may make significant events in the story even more so.

Props can also help bring the story to life. Perhaps the Players can base their characters' Anchors on real life objects of their own and thus bring them to sessions with them. Miniatures representing the characters and the enemies can also give the Players an idea of themselves and what they are up against. Even dim lighting and the use of candles can set a somber mood for a corresponding scenario.

===Narrative===

As the Coordinator leads the Players through the important events in the story, as well as playing the role of all the characters that do not belong to the Players, it is important that the Coordinator can present the story in a compelling manner.

Description is key here. Whether it is detailing a new setting, explaining new ideas, or introducing new characters to the Players, the description should be eloquent and detailed enough to give the characters a sense of what is being described. However, there is a point where the description becomes overkill and thus loses the interest of the Players. Keep it explanatory, but succinct, effective and to the point.

Speech skills are also important. Even if the Coordinator isn't gifted in altering his or her voice for each character played, he or she can employ inflections in the voice, as well as use hand and arm motions to emphasize what the Coordinator's character would want to convey to the Players' characters. If everyone the characters encounter in the story talk in the same tone, the same inflections, the same emphases, the Players will likely lose interest very quickly.

===Pacing===

A Coordinator must also have a feel for how to time events during a story. Take too long with something and the Players may want to take their time and energy elsewhere. Take too short and the Players may lose an important detail that will be needed later.

As easy as it is to time events wrongly, it is just as easy to get it right. Important events which require a detailed explanation where the characters can glean clues and hints from should be given more time than the events in between which lend little or no substance toward the story. If there is a discovery that can lead the characters in the right direction during their investigation, give it more time than a stretch of days in which the characters live their normal lives between Pauses.

===Flow===

As with pacing the events of the story, the actions taken in the story need to be consistent and smooth. One good way to do this is to disregard dice rolls whenever possible, especially between Pauses.

This can be done through a simple comparison of trait scores. If the score is exceedingly higher than what would be required to achieve a task, let the character achieve it. Same thing if the score is really low – automatic failure in that case.

Another way to achieve this is through the use of role-play. If a character can come up with a creative, yet feasibly logical solution to a problem, and it ends up being better or more effective than a more common solution, let the character succeed with it. However, if a character tries something too off the wall, make him or her pay for it.

===Flashbacks===

A useful tool for recapping important events from the past is the flashback. When it is appropriate for a recap – for instance, a puzzle that requires knowledge from a past scenario to solve it – let the character who has said knowledge to remember it, or at least give clues that may jog his or her memory.

===Cutaways===

Sometimes the characters are split from each other, but are participating in separate events at the same time. It is good to alternate sections of these events among the different groups, especially if the different events tie into each other somehow as the events progress.

===Foreshadowing===

Another way to help the characters along the story is to play out important future events which the characters will get to regardless of how they act in the present time. This technique can offer a sense of inevitability and tension where just playing in one continuous time-line cannot.

===Encouragement===

As much as the Coordinator can do to enhance the story, it is still ultimately up to the Players to keep up their end of the story's creation. Some Players will be naturals at role-playing their characters convincingly and lending to the story. Others however, will not.

This is where the Coordinator comes in. The first thing he or she can do to encourage Player participation and narrative is to offer incentives for good role-playing. These incentives can be in many forms: help with identifying clues and hints before and during a Pause; bonuses and re-rolls during the Pause; or extra character progression after a Pause for instance.

Another way to encourage role-playing is to introduce situations where the problematic Player's character needs to do something else other than to watch. However, try to gauge the Player's enjoyment of the story at hand before forcing him or her into this sort of situation, as it can easily backfire. As such, this is a technique which needs to be reserved for special situations where the incentives do not work.

===Conduct===

Sadly, not all Players get along from the outset. Also, the Coordinator should not force the Players into anything they do not want to do. There needs to be a fine balance between Player enjoyment and story control.

The easiest way to manage this is to keep the Players involved in their characters. When the Players are focused on doing whatever they can to keep their characters alive and to keep learning more about the mysteries at hand, the less they can derail the story from the tracks. Conversely, the Coordinator should not be forcing the Players into playing their characters one particular way or to only progress the story in one particular direction. Essentially, keep the Players engaged and interested, and they will likely return the favor.

Another means to maintain this balance is to limit out-of-character talk while the story is in progress. While the Players may know information which the characters, in theory, do not, it is important that the Player's knowledge does not factor into the character's actions when the character does not know the information. However, it is okay if a Player consults with the Coordinator or other Players if he or she does not understand a rule or needs a recap of events to bring him or her up to speed.

===Confidence===

Ultimately, a Coordinator should be a person confident in both the story he or she is helping craft as well as managing it along the way. Too little confidence and the Players will either trounce through the story without much role-playing, or they will simply lose interest altogether. Be too arrogant about it though and the story will go nowhere, and the Players will likely leave as well. The confidence a Coordinator expresses is the x-factor that can make or break a story, even before it gets started.

==Continuing a Story==

Eventually a story has to come to an end. However, new stories can arise from the same setting but with new characters. Sometimes a new story can come from the same set of characters, building off of their previous story.

In the first case, the new characters may end up discovering a Pause for the first time, but with the help of the veteran characters. This may lead to the collaboration of the old characters' knowledge with the new characters' fresh approach to tackle even deeper mysteries surrounding the Pauses and what forces are behind them.

The second case offers an opportunity to explore the lives of the characters beyond the end of their first story. Perhaps they continue their investigation from the previous story. Maybe they already nixed the problem and are willing to share their experiences with others. A new threat could have arisen while they were exploring the Pauses in the previous story.

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Back to [[In between Pauses]]
* Proceed to [[Appendices for Pause]]

Within a Pause

2016-05-29T17:00:02Z

2601:1C0:4B00:7BEB:4BB:F587:FB3C:2C3F:

(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)

The crux of the action in Pause occurs in the Pauses themselves. Pauses are essentially what other story-telling games would call encounters. Pauses provide Players the opportunity to resolve the major conflicts in the story.

Pauses are comprised of two primary elements – investigation and combat. Both of which are essential to mending the '''Break''' within the Pause. Through investigation, a character can figure out where the Break is and how to fix it. Through combat, the characters can fend off an enemy threat long enough to actually fix the Break.

==Investigating a Pause==

A Pause can be a very confusing experience for a character, whether it is his or her first time, or if the character has been through a Pause or two before. For either type of character, investigation becomes tantamount for making it through a Pause.

For the newcomer, he or she will likely investigate the Pause to figure what is happening in the first place. He or she will likely inspect the people and things frozen in place. The character will also find it difficult to do much anything, even breathing the heavy, suspended air. As the character's understanding of the situation builds, he or she may also learn about his or her Anchor. The continued curiosity may lead the character to the Break itself. All of these factors contribute to the character's increased understanding of the Pause and its workings.

For those who have been in a Pause before, they will know to look for the Break. Sometimes getting there requires a bit of investigation as well, as the Break may not be in a readily accessible place. Even when the character finds the Break, he or she must figure out how to close it, as one solution usually doesn't fix all the Breaks he or she will encounter. There may also be other things in the Pause that may help the character discover clues about the deeper intricacies of the Pause.

==Combat in a Pause==

As important as investigation is in a Pause, combat can be equally important. The characters need to defend themselves from the Aberrations that threaten their progress. If the enemies have their way, all the characters will either be dead or Locked Out, resulting in an unresolved Pause that may lead to irrevocable damage to the Universe, damage that will likely affect everyone in the normal Time Flow.

Combat in Pause is organized by '''rounds'''. A round is divided into '''turns''' for each '''participant''', both character and enemy alike. Each participant may only have one turn per round, unless indicated otherwise by the Coordinator. Each turn is comprised of a series of '''phases''' in which the participant is allowed to move and act in the Pause.

The basic flow of battle is as follows:

'''Begin Round'''

* Participants roll initiative

''Begin Each Turn''

* Movement
* Actions

''End Each Turn''

* Participants recover Personal Time

'''End Round'''

===Initiative===

At the beginning of every round, all of the participants roll '''1d10''' each to determine turn order for the round. The highest number starts first, the lowest going last in the round. In the case of ties, the participant with the '''higher PER Trait score''' takes priority. If there is still a tie, the participant with the '''higher AGI Trait score''' then takes priority.

During this phase, participants may also choose to re-roll their initiative roll by spending a point of Personal Time, placing one of the dice from that pool to the External Time pool before the turns even begin.

When the turn order has been decided, each participant takes their turn. At the beginning of each turn, the participant may move themselves as well as to take actions. The order of doing so is entirely up to the participant.

===Movement===

In this phase, a participant has three options, barring any special situations that may prove otherwise. Bear in mind that in the -2 and -3 boxes of critical status, a participant's movement cost is increased by one point of Personal Time.

In '''''Pause''''', the basic movement rate is fifteen (15) for walking through the still air within a Pause, or about three to four steps, depending on the character – remember that the participant has to move the air directly around him or herself in order to walk. Running is even more difficult, as the participant has to move the air a little further ahead of him or herself in order to get any distance.

The three options are as follows:

* '''Stay still:''' 0 PT; no target number
* '''Walk fifteen (15) feet:''' 1 PT; no target number
* '''Run thirty (30) feet:''' 2 PT; target number 5

When running, a critical success means that the participant was a little faster than though, moving him or her forty-five (45) feet. A failure translates to moving only fifteen (15) feet, as the air in front of the participant was not moved and thus slowed him or her down. Meanwhile, a critical failure means that the participant was unable to move at all, essentially staying in the same place in the end.

===Actions===

In this phase, the participant may perform any number of actions other than moving, provided that he or she has the necessary Personal Time to do so. Bear in mind that participants in any of the critical status boxes must add one point of Personal Time to the cost of each action he or she wants to do.

The following is a list of common actions a participant can do in a Pause. However, this does not limit the participant in what he or she can actually do, as long as the Coordinator allows it within reason.

* '''Changing Anchor modes:''' Change between weapon and tool modes; 1 PT, no target number
* '''Melee attacks:''' Attack an enemy adjacent to yourself; 2 PT; target number varies by enemy; STR modifier
* '''Ranged attacks:''' Attack an enemy some distance away from yourself; 3+ PT, varying by enemy; target number varies by enemy; AGI modifier
* '''Bracing for enemy attacks:''' Reduce physical damage of enemy attack during the same round by 1 lgt; 1 PT; target number 6; HEA modifier
* '''Manually interacting with objects:''' Manipulate objects adjacent to yourself; 2 PT; target number 6; STR modifier
* '''Throwing objects:''' Throw an object some distance from yourself; 3+ PT varying by distance and object; target number varies by distance; STR modifier for distance; AGI modifier for accuracy after distance roll
* '''Using Domains:''' Use one of the Domains at your disposal; PT cost and target number varies by each Domain; KNO modifier for success of Domain use; PER modifier for accuracy after success roll
* '''Unlocking an ally from Lock Out:''' Give some of your Personal Time to an ally, one point of which going to External Time; takes 2 rounds to activate; 2+ PT; target number 6; PER modifier

===Attacking===

A participant's offense is a straightforward process. First, the participant attacking or using an offensive Domain declares his or her attack or Domain, as well as the intended target.

After the declaration, the participant uses necessary modifiers to adjust their roll before the roll: STR modifier for melee attacks; AGI modifier for ranged attacks; and KNO modifier for the use of a Domain. In this case, a bonus allows the offender to re-roll his or her lowest die while a penalty forces him or her to remove the highest die from the roll.

After the offender's roll, the defender then applies his or her own modifiers: HEA for melee and ranged attacks; PER modifier for Domains. A bonus allows the defender to remove the offender's highest die while a penalty allows the offender to re-roll the lowest die.

If the attack or Domain achieves the target number assigned by the Coordinator after all the modifiers have been taken into consideration, the appropriate effect takes place. In the case of attacks, if the defender has braced for an attack in the same turn before the attacker, he or she takes one light wound away from the total damage of the attack.

===Personal Time Recovery===

At the end of the round (when everyone has taken their turns,) the dice in the External Time pool are evenly distributed back to the participants as fresh Personal Time for the next round. Any left over dice in the pool are then up for grabs.

All participants roll '''1d10''', as they did for the initiative roll. The participant with the highest number takes all the remaining dice in the pool for him or herself. In the case of a tie, the participant with the '''higher PER Trait score''' wins the dice. If there is still a tie, the remaining dice stay in the External Dice pool until the next round's recovery phase.

==Character Progression==

Due to the relative rarity of Pauses, the characters who survive grow stronger from their trials after each Pause. All surviving characters gain an '''extra Trait point''' to place into whichever trait they wish that is not already at five points. An extra point in HEA grants the character an extra box of health. An extra point in KNO grants the player an extra Domain point. The survivors are also allowed to gain '''one of the following rewards''' in addition:

* An additional point of starting Personal Time for all forthcoming Pauses
* An additional light wound of damage for their Anchor's weapon mode
* An additional Domain point to spend.

==Locked Out Characters==

Characters who are Locked Out at the end of a Pause may not immediately return to the normal Time Flow with the survivors, if at all. They are considered as Lost. At the Coordinator's discretion, the Locked Out character is at risk of corruption by the forces of chaos, potentially turning the character into a terrible enemy for the survivors later on in the story. Also with permission, the Locked Out character's Player may be able to continue role-playing as said character.

If the Coordinator allows, a character that has become corrupted becomes more powerful than a normal character due to the exposure to the terrifying forces beyond the Time Flow. However, the corrupted character also loses his or her Anchor, as he or she is no longer tethered to the normal Time Flow. With this restriction, the corrupted character gains both two trait points after the Pause, as well as one of the aforementioned bonuses, save for the Anchor bonus.

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Back to [[Mechanics in Pause]]
* Proceed to [[In between Pauses]]

Within a Pause

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(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)
The crux of the action in Pause occurs in the Pauses themselves. Pauses are essentially what other story-telling games would call encounters. Pauses provide Players the opportunity to resolve the major conflicts in the story.

Pauses are comprised of two primary elements – investigation and combat. Both of which are essential to mending the '''Break''' within the Pause. Through investigation, a character can figure out where the Break is and how to fix it. Through combat, the characters can fend off an enemy threat long enough to actually fix the Break.

==Investigating a Pause==

A Pause can be a very confusing experience for a character, whether it is his or her first time, or if the character has been through a Pause or two before. For either type of character, investigation becomes tantamount for making it through a Pause.

For the newcomer, he or she will likely investigate the Pause to figure what is happening in the first place. He or she will likely inspect the people and things frozen in place. The character will also find it difficult to do much anything, even breathing the heavy, suspended air. As the character's understanding of the situation builds, he or she may also learn about his or her Anchor. The continued curiosity may lead the character to the Break itself. All of these factors contribute to the character's increased understanding of the Pause and its workings.

For those who have been in a Pause before, they will know to look for the Break. Sometimes getting there requires a bit of investigation as well, as the Break may not be in a readily accessible place. Even when the character finds the Break, he or she must figure out how to close it, as one solution usually doesn't fix all the Breaks he or she will encounter. There may also be other things in the Pause that may help the character discover clues about the deeper intricacies of the Pause.

==Combat in a Pause==

As important as investigation is in a Pause, combat can be equally important. The characters need to defend themselves from the Aberrations that threaten their progress. If the enemies have their way, all the characters will either be dead or Locked Out, resulting in an unresolved Pause that may lead to irrevocable damage to the Universe, damage that will likely affect everyone in the normal Time Flow.

Combat in Pause is organized by '''rounds'''. A round is divided into '''turns''' for each '''participant''', both character and enemy alike. Each participant may only have one turn per round, unless indicated otherwise by the Coordinator. Each turn is comprised of a series of '''phases''' in which the participant is allowed to move and act in the Pause.

The basic flow of battle is as follows:

'''Begin Round'''

* Participants roll initiative

''Begin Each Turn''

* Movement
* Actions

''End Each Turn''

* Participants recover Personal Time

'''End Round'''

===Initiative===

At the beginning of every round, all of the participants roll '''1d10''' each to determine turn order for the round. The highest number starts first, the lowest going last in the round. In the case of ties, the participant with the '''higher PER Trait score''' takes priority. If there is still a tie, the participant with the '''higher AGI Trait score''' then takes priority.

During this phase, participants may also choose to re-roll their initiative roll by spending a point of Personal Time, placing one of the dice from that pool to the External Time pool before the turns even begin.

When the turn order has been decided, each participant takes their turn. At the beginning of each turn, the participant may move themselves as well as to take actions. The order of doing so is entirely up to the participant.

===Movement===

In this phase, a participant has three options, barring any special situations that may prove otherwise. Bear in mind that in the -2 and -3 boxes of critical status, a participant's movement cost is increased by one point of Personal Time.

In '''''Pause''''', the basic movement rate is fifteen (15) for walking through the still air within a Pause, or about three to four steps, depending on the character – remember that the participant has to move the air directly around him or herself in order to walk. Running is even more difficult, as the participant has to move the air a little further ahead of him or herself in order to get any distance.

The three options are as follows:

* '''Stay still:''' 0 PT; no target number
* '''Walk fifteen (15) feet:''' 1 PT; no target number
* '''Run thirty (30) feet:''' 2 PT; target number 5

When running, a critical success means that the participant was a little faster than though, moving him or her forty-five (45) feet. A failure translates to moving only fifteen (15) feet, as the air in front of the participant was not moved and thus slowed him or her down. Meanwhile, a critical failure means that the participant was unable to move at all, essentially staying in the same place in the end.

===Actions===

In this phase, the participant may perform any number of actions other than moving, provided that he or she has the necessary Personal Time to do so. Bear in mind that participants in any of the critical status boxes must add one point of Personal Time to the cost of each action he or she wants to do.

The following is a list of common actions a participant can do in a Pause. However, this does not limit the participant in what he or she can actually do, as long as the Coordinator allows it within reason.

* '''Changing Anchor modes:''' Change between weapon and tool modes; 1 PT, no target number
* '''Melee attacks:''' Attack an enemy adjacent to yourself; 2 PT; target number varies by enemy; STR modifier
* '''Ranged attacks:''' Attack an enemy some distance away from yourself; 3+ PT, varying by enemy; target number varies by enemy; AGI modifier
* '''Bracing for enemy attacks:''' Reduce physical damage of enemy attack during the same round by 1 lgt; 1 PT; target number 6; HEA modifier
* '''Manually interacting with objects:''' Manipulate objects adjacent to yourself; 2 PT; target number 6; STR modifier
* '''Throwing objects:''' Throw an object some distance from yourself; 3+ PT varying by distance and object; target number varies by distance; STR modifier for distance; AGI modifier for accuracy after distance roll
* '''Using Domains:''' Use one of the Domains at your disposal; PT cost and target number varies by each Domain; KNO modifier for success of Domain use; PER modifier for accuracy after success roll
* '''Unlocking an ally from Lock Out:''' Give some of your Personal Time to an ally, one point of which going to External Time; takes 2 rounds to activate; 2+ PT; target number 6; PER modifier

===Attacking===

A participant's offense is a straightforward process. First, the participant attacking or using an offensive Domain declares his or her attack or Domain, as well as the intended target.

After the declaration, the participant uses necessary modifiers to adjust their roll before the roll: STR modifier for melee attacks; AGI modifier for ranged attacks; and KNO modifier for the use of a Domain. In this case, a bonus allows the offender to re-roll his or her lowest die while a penalty forces him or her to remove the highest die from the roll.

After the offender's roll, the defender then applies his or her own modifiers: HEA for melee and ranged attacks; PER modifier for Domains. A bonus allows the defender to remove the offender's highest die while a penalty allows the offender to re-roll the lowest die.

If the attack or Domain achieves the target number assigned by the Coordinator after all the modifiers have been taken into consideration, the appropriate effect takes place. In the case of attacks, if the defender has braced for an attack in the same turn before the attacker, he or she takes one light wound away from the total damage of the attack.

===Personal Time Recovery===

At the end of the round (when everyone has taken their turns,) the dice in the External Time pool are evenly distributed back to the participants as fresh Personal Time for the next round. Any left over dice in the pool are then up for grabs.

All participants roll '''1d10''', as they did for the initiative roll. The participant with the highest number takes all the remaining dice in the pool for him or herself. In the case of a tie, the participant with the '''higher PER Trait score''' wins the dice. If there is still a tie, the remaining dice stay in the External Dice pool until the next round's recovery phase.

==Character Progression==

Due to the relative rarity of Pauses, the characters who survive grow stronger from their trials after each Pause. All surviving characters gain an '''extra Trait point''' to place into whichever trait they wish that is not already at five points. An extra point in HEA grants the character an extra box of health. An extra point in KNO grants the player an extra Domain point. The survivors are also allowed to gain '''one of the following rewards''' in addition:

* An additional point of starting Personal Time for all forthcoming Pauses
* An additional light wound of damage for their Anchor's weapon mode
* An additional Domain point to spend.

==Locked Out Characters==

Characters who are Locked Out at the end of a Pause may not immediately return to the normal Time Flow with the survivors, if at all. They are considered as Lost. At the Coordinator's discretion, the Locked Out character is at risk of corruption by the forces of chaos, potentially turning the character into a terrible enemy for the survivors later on in the story. Also with permission, the Locked Out character's Player may be able to continue role-playing as said character.

If the Coordinator allows, a character that has become corrupted becomes more powerful than a normal character due to the exposure to the terrifying forces beyond the Time Flow. However, the corrupted character also loses his or her Anchor, as he or she is no longer tethered to the normal Time Flow. With this restriction, the corrupted character gains both two trait points after the Pause, as well as one of the aforementioned bonuses, save for the Anchor bonus.

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Back to [[Mechanics in Pause]]
* Proceed to [[In between Pauses]]

Appendices for Pause

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(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)
==Domains==

The following is a list of the Domains explained in the [[Creating a Character in Pause | Character Creation]] section of the wiki, with the inclusion of two special types: two Domains which characters have already mastered as participants in a Pause, and a Domain only Aberrations can tap into – the Domain of Aberration. Included with each are examples of appropriate effects per rank of the Domain, as well as appropriate target numbers.

Domain use generally has a PT cost equal to the rank of the Domain being used. However, if a participant has a higher rank of a Domain and only wishes to use it in a lower capacity, the character only needs to pay the appropriate PT cost for the lower function.

While Domains by themselves grant the wielder power over space and time, they can possibly make greater effects through the synthesis of Domains. From a Coordinator’s standpoint, the PT cost is combined from each individual Domain in a synthesis and the target number becomes somewhat higher than either of the components’ usual target numbers.

The format of each entry is as follows:

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| X
| Effect description
| Y
|}

Again, please remember that these are only ''examples'' of what can be done with the Domains. Characters can do anything with the Domains as long as the Coordinator approves it.

===Correlation===

This Domain deals with an object’s synchronization with the Pause’s Time Flow, affecting the object’s well-being. Complexity varies with the degree of change in synchronization. This Domain can only be used when the target is oneself or in melee range.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Minor change in sync; target gains or loses a turn ahead or behind their current turn position, effective his or her next turn.
| 5
|-
| 2
| Noticeable change in sync; target gains or loses 1 lgt of health. Duration: instant.
| 6
|-
| 3
| Moderate change in sync; target gains or loses 1 mod of health; or target gains or loses 2 turns ahead or behind their current turn position, effective his or her next turn.
| 7
|-
| 4
| Significant change in sync; target gains or loses 1 mod + 1 lgt of health. Duration: instant.
| 8
|-
| 5
| Major change in sync; target gains or loses 1 hvy of health; or target gains or loses 3 turns ahead or behind their current turn position, effective his or her next turn.
| 9
|-
|}

===Exchange===

This Domain deals with the exchange of matter, allowing for near instantaneous travel over distance. Complexity varies with distance and what matter is exchanged.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Exchange self or inanimate object with unoccupied space 30 feet away.
| 6
|-
| 2
| Exchange self or inanimate object with unoccupied space 45 feet away; or exchange self or inanimate object with another inanimate object 30 feet away.
| 7
|-
| 3
| Exchange self or inanimate object with unoccupied space 60 feet away; or exchange self or inanimate object with another inanimate object 45 feet away; or exchange self or inanimate object with another participant 30 feet away.
| 8
|-
| 4
| Exchange self or inanimate object with unoccupied space 75 feet away; or exchange self or inanimate object with another inanimate object 60 feet away; or exchange self or inanimate object with another participant 45 feet away.
| 9
|-
| 5
| Exchange self or inanimate object with unoccupied space 90 feet away; or exchange self or inanimate object with another inanimate object 75 feet away; or exchange self or inanimate object with another participant 60 feet away.
| 10
|-
|}

===Gravity===

This Domain deals with localized changes in gravity, varying the ease of movement and actions. Complexity varies with direction (increased or decreased gravity) and magnitude of the change.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Increase or decrease a participant’s movement by 15 feet on his or her next turn. Range: self or melee.
| 5
|-
| 2
| Increase or decrease a participant’s movement or action cost by 1 PT on his or her next turn. Range: self or melee.
| 6
|-
| 3
| Increase or decrease a participant’s movement or action cost by 1 PT on his or her next 2 turns. Range: self, melee, or 30 feet away.
| 7
|-
| 4
| Increase or decrease a participant’s movement by 30 feet on his or her next turn; or increase or decrease his or her movement or action cost by 2 PT on his or her next turn. Range: self, melee, or 30 feet away.
| 8
|-
| 5
| Completely stop a participant from moving on his or her next turn; or increase or decrease his or her movement or action cost by 2 PT on his her next 2 turns. Range: self, melee, or up to 45 feet away.
| 9
|-
|}

===Isolation===

This Domain deals with the brief isolation of space and time, allowing several specific effects. Complexity varies with the change in space or time within the isolated area as well as the size of the area. This Domain can only be used when the target is either oneself or in melee range.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Slightly slow down or speed up target by 1 turn of their current position for the next 2 rounds.
| 6
|-
| 2
| Create a temporal shield around target, preventing next 1 mod of damage (target is unable to move in that duration.)
| 7
|-
| 3
| Significantly slow down or speed up target by 2 turns of their current position for the next 2 rounds; or suddenly reverse or skip time for a target, who gains or loses 1 lgt of health for the next 2 turns.
| 8
|-
| 4
| Create a temporal shield around target, countering next 1 mod of damage against aggressor (target is unable to move in that duration.)
| 9
|-
| 5
| Extremely slow down or speed up target by 2 turns of their current position for the next 3 rounds; or suddenly reverse or skip time for a target, who gains or loses 1 mod of health for the next 2 turns.
| 10
|-
|}

===Kinetics===

This Domain deals with the augmentation of energy to and from moving objects, making the objects either slower or faster. Complexity varies with the amount of energy involved and the duration of the effect.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Slightly slow down or speed up target’s reaction time or projectile movement for 1 lgt more or less damage for the next round. Target: self or melee.
| 6
|-
| 2
| Noticeably slow down or speed up target’s reaction time or projectile movement for 1 lgt more or less damage for the next 2 rounds. Target: self or melee.
| 7
|-
| 3
| Moderately slow down or speed up target’s reaction time or projectile movement for 1 mod more or less damage for the next round; or increase or decrease target’s movement by 15 feet on his or her next 2 turns. Target: self, melee, or 30 feet away.
| 8
|-
| 4
| Significantly slow down or speed up target’s reaction time or projectile movement for 1 mod more or less damage for the next 2 rounds. Target: self, melee, or 30 feet away.
| 9
|-
| 5
| Extremely slow down or speed up target’s reaction time or projectile movement for 1 mod + 1 lgt more or less damage for the next round; or increase or decrease target’s movement by 30 feet on his or her next 2 turns. Target: self, melee, or up to 45 feet away.
| 10
|-
|}

===Magnetism===

This Domain deals with the direct movement of objects in relation to oneself. Complexity varies with the object being moved as well as the distance and velocity applied to the object.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Move a light inanimate object 15 feet in one direction at normal speed. Target: melee or 30 feet away.
| 5
|-
| 2
| Move a light inanimate object 30 feet in one direction at normal speed or 15 feet in one direction quickly for 1 lgt damage; or move a moderate inanimate object 15 feet in one direction at normal speed. Target: melee or up to 45 feet away.
| 6
|-
| 3
| Move a light inanimate object 30 feet in one direction quickly for 1 lgt damage; or move a moderate inanimate object 30 feet in one direction at normal speed or 15 feet in one direction quickly for 1 mod damage. Target: melee or up to 45 feet away.
| 7
|-
| 4
| Move a light inanimate object 45 feet in one direction at normal speed; or move a moderate inanimate object 30 feet in one direction quickly for 1 mod damage; or move one heavy object 15 feet in one direction at normal speed. Target: melee or up to 60 feet away.
| 8
|-
| 5
| Move a light inanimate object 45 feet in one direction quickly for 1 mod damage; or move a moderate inanimate object 45 feet in one direction at normal speed; or move a heavy object 30 feet in one direction at normal speed or 15 feet in one direction quickly for 1 mod + 1 lgt damage. Target: melee of up to 60 feet away.
| 9
|-
|}

===Recombination===

This Domain deals with the changes of an object’s chemical properties to grant it new effects. Complexity varies with the effect to be given as well as the object being affected by the change. This Domain can only be used when the target is oneself or in melee range.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Increase or decrease a target’s trait score of your choice by 1 point for his or her next turn.
| 6
|-
| 2
| Increase or decrease a target’s trait score of your choice by 1 point for his or her next 2 turns; or strengthen or weaken an inanimate object by one weight class (light, moderate, heavy) for the next round.
| 7
|-
| 3
| Increase or decrease a target’s trait score of your choice by 2 points for his or her next turn; or increase or decrease a target’s Domain rank of your choice by 1 point for his or her next turn; or strengthen or weaken an inanimate object by one weight class for the next two rounds.
| 8
|-
| 4
| Increase or decrease a target’s Domain rank of your choice by 1 point for his or her next 2 turns; or strengthen or weaken an inanimate object by two weight classes for the next round.
| 9
|-
| 5
| Increase or decrease a target’s trait score of your choice by 2 points for his or her next 2 turns; or increase or decrease a target’s Domain rank of your choice by 2 points for his or her next turn.
| 10
|-
|}

===Relativity===

This Domain deals with one’s perception of time and space, affecting their actual speed in the Pause itself. Complexity varies with the magnitude of the perceptive change as well as the duration of the effect.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Add an extra walking movement to the target for free for his or her next turn, also causing 1 lgt damage to target. Range: self or melee.
| 6
|-
| 2
| Add an extra 2 PT cost action to the target for free for his or her next turn, also causing 1 mod damage to target. Range: self or melee.
| 7
|-
| 3
| Add an extra running movement to the target for free for his or her next turn, also causing 1 mod damage to target. Range: self, melee, or 30 feet away.
| 8
|-
| 4
| Add an extra 3 PT action to the target for free for his or her next turn, also causing 1 mod + 1 lgt damage to the target. Range: self, melee, or 30 feet away.
| 9
|-
| 5
| Add an extra running movement and an extra 3 PT action to the target for free for his or her next turn, also causing 1 hvy damage to the target: Range: self, melee, or up to 45 feet away.
| 10
|-
|}

===Transferal===

This Domain deals with the transfer of properties from one object to another. Complexity varies with the properties to be transferred as well as the readiness of the recipient. This Domain can only be used when the target is in melee range.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Give one Domain-rank 1 bonus from yourself to a target.
| 5
|-
| 2
| Give one Domain-rank 1 penalty from yourself to a target; or give 1 PT to the ET pool and 1 PT to target.
| 6
|-
| 3
| Give one Domain-rank 2 bonus from yourself to target; or give 1 PT to the ET pool, and 2 PT to target; or give 1 trait score point from yourself to target.
| 7
|-
| 4
| Give one Domain-rank 2 penalty from yourself to target; or give 1 PT to the ET pool, and 3 PT to target; or give 1 Domain rank from yourself to target.
| 8
|-
| 5
| Give one Domain-rank 3 bonus or penalty from yourself to target; or give 1 PT to the ET pool and 4 PT to target; or give 2 trait score points or Domain ranks from yourself to target.
| 9
|-
|}

===Uncertainty===

This Domain deals with the extraneous forces which influence other forces within the Pause. Complexity varies with the degree of uncertainty as well as the readiness of the recipient. This Domain can only be used when the target is in melee range.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Force a die bonus or penalty to a target’s next roll.
| 6
|-
| 2
| Steal 1 PT from target during the next Recovery phase; or strengthen or weaken a target’s next Domain use by 1 rank for his or her next turn.
| 7
|-
| 3
| Force a die bonus or penalty to a target’s next 2 rolls; or strengthen or weaken a target’s next Domain use by 1 rank for his or her next 2 turns.
| 8
|-
| 4
| Steal 1 PT from target during next 2 Recovery phases; or strengthen or weaken a target’s next Domain use by 2 ranks for his or her next turn.
| 9
|-
| 5
| Force 2 die bonuses or penalties to a target’s next roll; or steal 2 PT from target during the next Recovery phase; or strengthen or weaken a target’s next Domain use by 2 ranks for the next 2 turns.
| 10
|-
|}

===Special Domains===

The following are special Domains for either characters or Aberrations, but not the other.

====Aberration====

(Aberrations only)

This Domain deals with the mysterious forces that tie an Aberration to the Break. The abilities are always in effect as long as 1) the Break is still present and 2) the Aberration has enough PT to use it.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| The Aberration automatically gains 1 lgt health per 2 rounds.
| free
|-
| 2
| The Aberration automatically gains 1 lgt health per round; or the Aberration is automatically resurrected with 1 mod health 2 rounds after its defeat.
| free
|-
| 3
| The Aberration automatically gains 1 mod health per 2 rounds; or the Aberration is automatically resurrected with 1 mod health the round after its defeat.
| free
|-
| 4
| The Aberration automatically gains 1 mod health per round; or the Aberration is automatically resurrected with 1 hvy health 2 rounds after its defeat.
| free
|-
| 5
| The Aberration automatically gains 1 mod + 1 lgt health per 2 rounds; or the Aberration is automatically resurrected with 1 hvy health the round after its defeat.
| free
|-
|}

====Anchoring====

(Characters only)

This Domain deals with the possession of an Anchor which both tethers a character to the normal Time Flow while within a Pause, as well as serves as a medium for the use of Domains. This ability always costs only 1 PT per use. This Domain is usable by characters from the beginning without using Domain points during character creation.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Change between weapon and tool modes.
| free
|-
|}

====Unlocking====

(Characters only)

This Domain deals with the ability to transfer Personal Time to a character without any. Using this ability costs at least 2 PT: 1 PT goes to the ET pool; the rest goes to the recipient. This ability activates in two rounds, on the recipient’s turn. This Domain is usable by characters from the beginning without using Domain points during character creation.

{| border="1"
! Rank
! Effect
! TN
|-
| 1
| Transfer PT from yourself to a Locked Out character.
| 6
|-
|}

==Breaks==

The most important feature of a Pause is the Break which prompts the Pause in the first place. But what exactly is a Break? In short, a Break is something that is wrong with the Universe. It can be something glaringly obvious like a glowing rip in space and time. It can be something as deceptively subtle as the feeling of déjà vu.

Breaks are the puzzles of the Pauses. There is something terribly wrong with space and time and the characters need to fix it if the Pause is to end. What exactly is wrong with the Universe can be either entirely up to the Coordinator or, if they are creative enough, the Players as well. It can be something as specific as a person or thing that shouldn’t be in the vicinity. It can be as broad as one of the Domains being a little out of whack in the area.

===Causes===

There is generally one constant though: the reasons for the Breaks change from Pause to Pause. As the nature of Breaks can change with each Pause, the means of closing them can also change. The same solution from a previous Pause may not work with a Break in a new Pause. The characters may have to look for clues about the Breaks not only within the Pauses, but between them as well. If the characters are attentive enough, they can use the clues to fix later Breaks.

When creating a Break for a Pause, the Coordinator needs to keep the cause of the Break relatively broad in description if they can. Leave some room for the Players to come up with their own interpretations of the Break and how to fix it. In the case of the more specific Breaks, try not to make it so specific to where there is really only one solution which the characters may not pick up on – unless the Coordinator wants the characters to fail the Pause, which itself can lead to interesting stories later on.

The following is a list of possible causes for the Breaks:

* One of the Domains is a little off in the immediate vicinity. Find a Domain which can cancel the other out and restore balance.
* There is some entity in the normal Time Flow which shouldn’t be there. Usher the entity back through the Break from whence it came.
* A parallel Universe has moved a little off-kilter and is causing friction with this Universe. Find a way to get the other Universe back on track.
* The people of an area are down on their luck, losing their sense of belonging to the Universe, causing Breaks. Restore hope in them to strengthen the area against more Breaks.
* Something is sealed beneath the area by a previous group of characters. The seal is being unraveled, the disturbance in space and time causing the Breaks.
* An extraterrestrial emissary is attempting contact with our world, causing and using the Breaks to make its way here.
* The characters and their area are guinea pigs for a massive hallucinogenic experiment, causing the Breaks only in their minds.
* A nearby research institute conducts space and time experiments which go horribly wrong, causing Breaks to pop up all over town.
* People have a mysterious affliction where they seem to always having déjà vu, the momentary lapses in their sense of belonging causing Breaks when the déjà vu happens at once.

===Solutions===

Now that the Break has a reason for its existence, how does one go around fixing it? The most basic idea is that the Anchors in tool mode are there to do most of the heavy lifting. In other cases, there may be a certain person or thing that needs to neutralize the Break. It may even be a general mood or feeling that needs to be modified. In any case, fixing a break is usually never a one-shot affair. It takes time, energy, and effort to fix a Break.

One way for a Coordinator to keep track of a Break’s integrity is to assign it a number of successes pertaining to the general solution that are required to close it. As the characters work toward closing the Break, the difficulty gets higher and higher, resulting in higher target numbers to achieve during the closing process. We’ll use the example of the extraterrestrial emissary discussed above.

The first Break the emissary opens is relatively weak, requiring only a small number of successes (10) to close it. However, the characters do not know how to gauge the strength of a Break quite yet, so the target numbers will be substantial for the start. The target numbers will not rise too greatly during the process as the characters will soon understand how it all works. In this case, the first six target numbers will be moderately high in difficulty (6) while the last four will be only a little higher in difficulty (7).

===Failure===

It is obviously possible that the characters will fail to fix the Break. While the consequences of not fixing the Break may be grim (remember that the major problems of the Universe are dealt with in the Pauses,) it is not always game over. These effects may be felt all at once or over time. It may be as catastrophic as an end-of-the-world situation, or it may oddly be as beneficial as having access to Domains outside of the Pauses.

Sometimes, failure can make for a better story, as it can also make the characters stronger people.

==Aberrations==

As explained earlier, Aberrations are supernatural beings which spawn forth from the Breaks. With that in mind, they have some unique qualities that the characters cannot possess.

First, they have the ability to maintain zero PT during a Pause, as they are not tethered to the normal Time Flow. This means that they are immune to Lock Out, which makes them very formidable enemies.

Second, they have the unique Domain of Aberration (discussed earlier,) which is always active and always succeed as long as the Break is still present. This means that while an Aberration can be defeated in a Pause, it will eventually come back unless the Break is mended. Once that happens, the Aberration is permanently destroyed.

The Coordinator is more than free to make his or her own Aberrations that are not shown in this manual. Here is a general guideline for creating varying types of Aberrations for Pause.

* '''Lesser Aberrations'''
** 10 Trait points
** Domains
*** Aberration: 1
*** 0-1 extra Domain ranks
* '''Normal Aberrations'''
** 15 Trait points
** Domains
*** Aberration: 2
*** 1-3 extra Domain ranks
* '''Greater Aberrations'''
** 20 Trait points
** Domains
*** Aberration: 3
*** 3-7 extra Domain ranks
* '''Corrupted Characters'''
** 25 Trait points
** Domains
*** Aberration: 4 or 5
*** 7-12 extra Domain ranks

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Back to [[Coordinating Pause]]

Mechanics in Pause

2016-05-29T16:58:54Z

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(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)
==Time Flow==

As with real life, time flows in '''''Pause'''''. When a Pause occurs, the flow of time temporarily splits into two: the “normal” flow of time in which most people exist and the isolated flow of time within a Pause. The normal flow of time stops in a Pause, locking everyone and everything unable to participate in a Pause into place, while those who are able to participate can move and act (albeit with a degree of difficulty) within the Pause. The participants – both characters and enemies – are able to act within the Pause through the use of '''Personal Time''' (“PT”.)

In order to do anything in a Pause, whether it is moving yourself or taking an action, the participant must commit some of that Personal Time to the external surroundings to influence them. As such, the committed Personal Time then becomes '''External Time''' (“ET”.) Eventually, the External Time is returned to the participant as renewed Personal Time, thus completing the '''Time Flow'''.

==Lock Out==

Personal Time is a limited resource in a Pause; beginning characters only start with five points of Personal Time per Pause. Most enemies do not start with much Personal Time either. As such, participants need to strategize how and when to use their Personal Time to be effective.

More importantly, characters must keep at least one point of Personal Time available at all times during the Pause. A character without any Personal Time loses his or her ability to act in a Pause and soon becomes '''Locked Out'''. When Locked Out of a Pause, the character cannot act, but also cannot be harmed by an enemy.

A character can also become Locked Out if he or she is seriously injured (currently on the -3 health box.) When in this critical status, he or she must resist the instinct to Lock him or herself Out of the Pause for his or her own survival. In this case, the Player must roll '''1d10 + PER Trait score''' every round while in that status. For this test, the target number starts at five and increases by one each round thereafter, so it would be wise to heal the character up before the target number becomes too high to achieve.

If a character is Locked Out, allies can come to his or her rescue by giving some of their own Personal Time to the Locked Out character. However, if a character remains Locked Out by the end of the Pause, the character becomes '''Lost''' beyond the Time Flow. Characters who become Lost are at serious risk of becoming corrupted, much like the very creatures which threatened them within the Pause.

The enemies within a Pause however, are immune to Lock Out, as they come from whatever twisted existence lies beyond the Breaks. This immunity allows enemies to maintain zero Personal Time if they wish with impunity.

==Actions==

As mentioned before, everything a participant does in a Pause costs some of his or her Personal Time, whether it is moving oneself or performing an attack. Each point of Personal Time is represented by a d10, which means that actions that have a higher Personal Time cost allow the Player to roll a larger number of dice to achieve the assigned target number for the action. Each Player keeps a number of dice equal to their current Personal Time points to themselves during the Pause. This is called the '''Personal Time pool'''.

Whenever dice from the Personal Time pool are used, they go to a shared pool to represent External Time. At the end of each round, the dice in the '''External Time pool''' are evenly distributed back to the participants. This means that if a character spends very little Personal Time in a round, he or she may receive more Personal Time back than what he or she started the Pause with, and vice versa.

The following is a list of common actions a character can do in a Pause, including their respective Personal Time costs and target numbers. Remember that only one of the dice rolled needs to achieve success in an action.

* '''Actions involving only yourself:''' Examples – walking, switching an Anchor between weapon and tool modes; 1 PT cost; automatic success.
* '''Actions involving an adjacent target:''' Examples – melee attacks, manually moving an object, running; 2 PT cost; TGT 5 unless otherwise specified.
* '''Actions involving a ranged target:''' Examples – ranged attacks, throwing objects; 3 or more PT; TGT varies depending on difficulty and distance.

==Modifiers==

Both in a Pause and in between them, a character's traits can come into play if they are involved in an action. If a trait score is exceptionally low (1) or high (5), those qualities can possibly affect the outcome of a task. For the low score, the character has a -1 penalty for that trait, while for the high score, the character has a +1 bonus for that trait.

Outside of Pauses, these modifiers are fairly simple and are applied before a roll: the character gains an extra die to roll for the bonus while he or she loses a die for the penalty. Within Pauses, the modifiers work after the roll: the character is allowed to re-roll their lowest-scoring die in the case of the bonus, while he or she loses the highest-scoring die in the case of the penalty.

Common interpretations in the traits for modifier use is as follows:

* '''STR:''' landing melee attacks, interaction with objects, tests of endurance
* '''AGI:''' landing ranged attacks, running in a Pause, keeping balance
* '''HEA:''' defending against an attacker, absorbing damage, resisting disease
* '''KNO:''' applying facts to a situation, coming up with a solution for a problem
* '''SOC:''' assuming leadership, intimidation, chances of financial success
* '''PER:''' sensing something wrong, adapting to a situation, resisting Lock Out

===Alternate Rule===

All characters are able to use a one-time re-roll of a low number if need be. If a roll produces a number lower than the score for the related Trait, the character may elect to re-roll that die once during the action or movement roll. In short, the higher the score the character has for a particular Trait, the easier it is for a character to re-roll when needed. However, the re-rolled number is final, even when it is lower than the initial roll.

==Critical Rolls==

There are times when everything goes either extremely well, or terribly wrong, for a character. To achieve a critical success, the Player must roll all 10's only when rolling multiple dice, while critical failures are when the Player rolls all 1's. As such, it is increasingly difficult to achieve either the more dice that are rolled for a particular task.

Critical successes generally are rewarded with a greater effect on the character's part, a mishap on the part of the opposition, or some other factor which turns the situation into the character's favor. Conversely, critical failures put the character at a grave disadvantage in his or her situation. The degree of these effects increase in magnitude in relation to the number of dice thrown for the particular task: a critical success with four dice will be have much greater benefits than one achieved with only two dice.

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Back to [[Creating a Character in Pause | Character Creation]]
* Proceed to [[Within a Pause]]

Creating a Character in Pause

2016-05-29T16:58:32Z

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(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)

==Concept==

Before even touching the character sheet, a Player should put together a short description of his or her character. Start off with the physical description – height, weight, eyes, skin, so forth and so on. From there, describe the character’s goals and aspirations, as well as what qualities he or she believes can be used to achieved those goals.

Finally, add some nuances about the character. What does the character do for a living? What sort of people do the character associate with? What is the character’s outlook of the world? Why does the character do whatever he or she does? Try not to make it too descriptive though: leave some of the details to be learned through role-playing.

This concept of the character will aid the Player in making his or her choices during the character creation process, as well as to provide a general set of role-playing rules for him or her to follow pertaining to the character. A head-strong character will not act meek or shy unless there is a good reason for it, for instance.

==Traits==

Characters in '''''Pause''''' are represented by six traits: three physical traits and three mental traits.

'''Physical Traits:'''

* '''Strength (STR):''' A character's strength represents the sheer physical force he or she can exert upon something or someone, as well as the ability to withstand such force in return.
* '''Agility (AGI):''' A character's agility represents the more nimble qualities that he or she possesses, such as speed, balance, and hand-eye coordination.
* '''Health (HEA):''' A character's health represents his or her general fitness level, as well as how healthy his or her lifestyle is and the degree of immunity he or she possesses.

'''Mental Traits:'''

* '''Knowledge (KNO):''' A character's knowledge represents the collective intelligence he or she possesses, including factual, anecdotal, and creative knowledge.
* '''Sociability (SOC):''' A character's sociability represents his or her social awareness and performance, reflecting his or her connections, resources, and diplomacy.
* '''Perception (PER):''' A character's perception represents his or her sensitivity to surroundings, as well as adaptation to ongoing situations and the understanding of the situation at hand.

Starting characters begin with fifteen (15) points to allocate among these traits. No trait can be lower than one (low) and more than five (high). As Pause maintains an emphasis on story-telling, Players are encouraged to allocate the points as they see fit for their character as they are before the story begins, instead of only toward one goal that they perceive to be met during the story.

==Health==

A character's maximum health is derived from his or her '''HEA trait score'''. This score equals the maximum health he or she can have at any one time, barring exceptions from the Coordinator. In '''''Pause''''', each point of health is represented by a box in a track, as follows:

<center>
<pre>
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] - [ ] [ ] [ ]
+5 +4 +3 +2 +1 -1 -2 -3
</pre>
</center>

The boxes to the left represent a state of well-being in which the character can still perform at full capacity. This is called '''normal status'''. The boxes to the right however, represent a critical state of being where the character's performance is compromised, or '''critical status'''. When a character has no more health remaining, he or she dies.

===Damage===

There are four types of damage that can be incurred in '''''Pause''''': Light (“Lgt”), Moderate (“Mod”), Heavy (“Hvy”), and Critical (“Crit”). Two light wounds would eliminate a box while one moderate wound would do the same thing.

<center>
<pre>
[/] [X]
Lgt Mod
</pre>
</center>

One heavy wound eliminates two boxes.

<center>
<pre>
[X] [X]
Hvy
</pre>
</center>

Finally, a critical wound eliminates all the boxes in normal status, regardless of how many boxes remain available. Also note that if the character suffers a critical wound in critical status, he or she dies.

<center>
<pre>
[X] [X] [X] [X] [X] - [ ] [ ] [ ]
Crit
</pre>
</center>

===Critical Status===

Within critical status, there are three boxes for all characters, regardless of their HEA score. Each box represents a degree of incapacitation he or she has suffered. The first box (-1) makes the character's actions more difficult. The second (-2) also makes the character's movements more difficult. Finally, the third box (-3) has the first two handicaps, but also the character must resist being Locked Out of the Pause every round until either he or she heals above that box, fails that resistance, or dies. Note that outside of a Pause, the Lock Out penalty does not exist.

==Anchors==

All characters who are able to participate in a Pause possess an '''Anchor''', a physical object which embodies a strong emotion which the character identifies with or a significant event in his or her past. This object it usually something which the character has on his or her person almost all of the time, like a piece of jewelry or a good-luck charm. Within a Pause, the Anchor becomes both the character's means of defense, as well as a variety of tools he or she can use to mend the Break with.

When creating a character, a Player should make the Anchor something that the character would hold dear, as well as what sort of things the character would be most comfortable with. This is because the Anchor, both as a weapon and a tool, becomes things in which the character can wield with ease. For instance, a character with low STR and high AGI wouldn't likely be able to handle a broad sword with ease, but rather something like a gun instead.

Beginning characters may only start with one particular weapon the Anchor can become. It can either be melee – the character has to be next to his or her target to use it – or ranged – the character may use it at a distance. By default, melee weapons cause one light wound per attack for a low cost while ranged weapons cause one moderate wound per attack for a higher cost, as well as possible handicaps depending on the distance the attack is made from.

Bear in mind that the Anchor can only be used either as a weapon or as a tool at any given time in a Pause, never both at the same time. There is also a small cost to change the Anchor between being a weapon and a tool, so it would be wise to strategize when to use the Anchor in each mode.

==Domains==

As mentioned before, characters that are able to act in a Pause have a degree of mastery over space and time. However, no one character has a complete mastery over such forces. As such, characters isolate their abilities to one or several particular functions of space and time which they can manipulate. These functions are called '''Domains'''.

Characters can learn and specialize in some of the Domains from the beginning and during the course of a story. Beginning characters start play with a number of points to divide among the Domains equal to their '''KNO Trait score'''. No one Domain may be above one point (or the number of Pauses they have been through already, if the character is already experienced in them.)

To use mastery of a Domain within a Pause, the Anchor must be in tool mode first – the Anchor becomes the medium between the character’s mastery of the Domain and the external surroundings within a Pause. However, Domain mastery is not only limited to fixing the Breaks, but also for whatever other uses come to mind – assisting other characters, hindering Aberrations, so forth and so on. Generally, the use of the Domains cost more as the complexity of the effect becomes greater.

* '''Correlation:''' This Domain deals with an object’s synchronization with the Pause’s Time Flow, affecting the object’s well-being. Complexity varies with the degree of change in synchronization.
* '''Exchange:''' This Domain deals with the exchange of matter, allowing for near instantaneous travel over distance. Complexity varies with distance and what matter is exchanged.
* '''Gravity:''' This Domain deals with localized changes in gravity, varying the ease of movement and actions. Complexity varies with direction (increased or decreased gravity) and magnitude of the change.
* '''Isolation:''' This Domain deals with the brief isolation of space and time, allowing several specific effects. Complexity varies with the change in space or time within the isolated area as well as the size of the area.
* '''Kinetics:''' This Domain deals with the augmentation of energy to and from moving objects, making the objects either slower or faster. Complexity varies with the amount of energy involved and the duration of the effect.
* '''Magnetism:''' This Domain deals with the direct movement of objects in relation to oneself. Complexity varies with the object being moved as well as the distance and velocity applied to the object.
* '''Recombination:''' This Domain deals with the changes of an object’s chemical properties to grant it new effects. Complexity varies with the effect to be given as well as the object being affected by the change.
* '''Relativity:''' This Domain deals with one’s perception of time and space, affecting their actual speed in the Pause itself. Complexity varies with the magnitude of the perceptive change as well as the duration of the effect.
* '''Transferal:''' This Domain deals with the transfer of properties from one object to another. Complexity varies with the properties to be transferred as well as the readiness of the recipient.
* '''Uncertainty:''' This Domain deals with the extraneous forces which influence other forces within the Pause. Complexity varies with the degree of uncertainty as well as the readiness of the recipient.

==Wealth and Items==

In '''''Pause''''', a character's wealth and belongings are only used as a reference point in between Pauses, primarily to avoid needless micro-management for both Players and the Coordinator. Such wealth can be approximated by using the character's '''SOC Trait score''' as a benchmark. The higher the score, the greater the wealth and/or resources the character has at his or her disposal between Pauses.

In the Pauses themselves, equipment which would enhance a character's combat and investigative abilities in between Pauses become irrelevant, as space and time themselves are the means of doing both. Only the Anchor has such bearing in a Pause.

==Character Details==

After the above has been determined for the character, the Player may choose to record important details about the character for future reference. Included in the manual are sheets for both the above qualities of a character as well as the important details if the Player chooses to use it.

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Back to [[Stories in Pause]]
* Proceed to [[Mechanics in Pause]]

Stories in Pause

2016-05-29T16:57:48Z

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(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)

Before jumping into [[Creating a Character in Pause | character creation]], feel free to read these stories to get a better idea of what '''''Pause''''' is like.

'''Stories'''

* [[Tick...Tock]]
* [[The Unfinished Dissertation]]
* [[A Hot Day in the City]]

'''Navigation'''

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Back to [[What Is Pause?]]
* Proceed to [[Creating a Character in Pause | Character Creation]]

Pause

2016-05-29T16:57:15Z

2601:1C0:4B00:7BEB:4BB:F587:FB3C:2C3F:

(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)

'''''Tick.'''''

That was the last real sound. The cut off so sudden, so loud in that sea of silence. Everything around was still, even your own flesh. Not paralyzed, not changed, not even sore. Just still. And then breath came again. The air around you moved sluggishly as you slowly stood up, and looked around the now silent lecture theater.

All was still.

And then it wasn’t. One by one, a couple of others stood, shaking off a tangible slowness, and gazing around the room in shock. Everything was frozen. Chairs on the verge of sliding, drinks on the edge of spilling, a thrown paper airplane carrying a message from one side of the crowded hall to the other, all stopped in their tracks.

A silent, frozen world, populated by the five, counting yourself, you could see almost wading through the sea of slowness. Some seemed to be speaking, yet there was no sound passing through the still air. How odd…

Then a crack appeared through the wall. Except, it wasn’t in the wall, and even as you watched it spread, moving through the air, the furniture, the people, seemingly without effect. A sense of profound wrongness surrounded it, a feeling of instinctive dislike and discomfort, a knowledge that, whatever it was, it was Wrong.

You were almost so distracted by its passage you didn’t notice the thing it left behind, but it’s hard to miss a jumbled together mass of tables and chairs rearing its “head” and howling in a voice which sounded like a thousand stools screeching over across an already scuffed floor. Then it turned to look at you.

Of course, you backed away. Any sensible person would back away. But a little voice at the back of your head told you this was your job. You had been selected to deal with a problem. You had no choice in the matter. The universe was broken, and it was up to you to put it back together.

You wouldn't be entirely unaided, however. That ring, the one you got on holiday all those years ago, but still fits you perfectly, suddenly felt heavy in your hand. Then it felt warm. Then you found yourself holding a ring of shining steel, a circular blade you were certain was deadly sharp, yet you held with an easy competence, an almost innate understanding of its use suddenly blossoming in your mind.

The air around moved almost freely now, and looking around the room, all the others seemed to be moving faster, more freely, and almost all were armed. The thought occurred to you that a bladed ring thrown at thrice the normal speed possible might just help with the job ahead.

This was starting to get interesting…

* [[What Is Pause? | What Is '''''Pause'''''?]]
* [[Stories in Pause]]
* [[Creating a Character in Pause | Character Creation]]
* [[Mechanics in Pause]]
* [[Within a Pause]]
* [[In between Pauses]]
* [[Coordinating Pause | Coordinating '''''Pause''''']]
* [[Appendices for Pause]]

In between Pauses

2016-05-29T16:56:07Z

2601:1C0:4B00:7BEB:4BB:F587:FB3C:2C3F:

(related to the [[What Is Pause?|Pause]] game.)

As important as it is to complete Pauses, sometimes it is even more important to keep in mind what happens between the Pauses. First of all, normal people who are unable to participate in the Pauses do not know what happened in that frozen moment of time.

So when people suddenly see things appear in a different place from when they last saw them, it is understandable that they would be suspicious, to say the least. The same goes for yourself suddenly changing places as well, which would likely draw much more suspicion. As for trying to explain yourself, most people who have not experienced a Pause will likely not believe you in the slightest.

==Healing==

Also bear in m ind that after a Pause, whatever wounds a character has incurred will remain with them in the normal Time Flow. As such, it is important for a character to take care of him or herself in between Pauses.

For the most part, a character in the normal health boxes, a day or two should be enough to heal a moderate wound. Those in the critical boxes work a little differently. Each box of critical damage is healed with increasing amounts of time: about one week for the -1 box, two weeks for the -2 box, and a month for the -3 box.

While some wounds may be hidden for the most part when a character is in the normal health boxes, wounds in the critical status may be too gruesome to feign well-being. They also affect a character's general physical performance in between Pauses. As such, a character who is healing from critical status may opt to stay hidden and isolated until he or she is better able to come back into society.

==Normal Life==

Other than maintaining oneself immediately after the Pause, characters may need to resume their normal daily routine in between Pauses. This means going to the character's workplace, run his or her errands, socialize with his or her friends, so forth and so on. If nothing else, time spent in between Pauses may even offer insight into the Pauses themselves, such memories possibly becoming clues for Pauses further down the road.

While it is encouraged that the Players role-play their characters in their day to day activities while in between Pauses, the Coordinator is also equally as encouraged to abbreviate the time between Pauses in shorter periods of real time, as not to lose the interest of the Players.

==Investigation==

Characters may also spend time in between Pauses to further their ongoing investigation about them. The Players may role-play their characters meeting up and discussing the phenomenon, or perhaps pursuing a lead or two themselves.

Again, Players should bear in mind that most people other than those who are acquainted with Pauses beforehand will likely not cooperate with the characters in their investigation, either because they do not believe them or that they have no information whatsoever.

The Coordinator should also be able to augment the Players' ability to glean clues from the investigation. Characters with high '''KNO''' and '''PER Trait scores''' may be able to gather information where most cannot. The Coordinator is encouraged to award characters who have a direct or a creative approach to the investigation with more detailed information. These privileges should be able to prevent the story from being bogged down by Players who just cannot manage to get the clues themselves.

==Preparation==

Finally, characters should be aware that despite the rare nature of Pauses, they can happen anywhere, anytime. They can happen even when they are not around their teammates or when the characters are not ready for one. As such, it is important that the characters be prepared for them as well as they can without exuding a paranoia about it (again, no need to make normal people suspicious of someone.)

One step a character can take to stay prepared is to have his or her Anchor on his or her person whenever he or she can do so. Another precaution would be for the character to stay in the company of someone else who he or she knows is able to participate in the Pause as well – wireless technology tends not to work in a Pause since the air is unable to transfer data without being moved first, something that the device cannot do.

* Back to [[Pause | main page]]
* Back to [[Within a Pause]]
* Proceed to [[Coordinating Pause]]