Running the Game response with ways for them to achieve.

Ambiguity and confusion will only stall

momentum. That said, the path forward will
Agenda, Principles, never be smooth. Introduce complications,
bargains, or risk maintain tension.

& Contributions Gameplay in Tides should be a dynamic back

and forth between the players and GM. This
This section provides procedures and rules for flow can only happen when outcomes are fluid.
whoever takes on the role of a player or a GM. This is why it’s important to play to find out
It does not provide advice on how to play or what happens. Offer inspiration to the players,
improv; there are many resources to fill those react to their actions, and see where the luck of
needs. the dice take you.

Instead, this details more about your “role” in GM Principles

the game. If you become stuck or your mind
goes blank while playing, these can help guide
»≫ Draw maps
you back to actions that fit the game.
»≫ Dangle glory on the other side of risk
GM Role
The GM’s role is defined by your agenda, »≫ Place loyalty and riches in conflict
principles, and contributions.
»≫ Think in cinematic shots
GM Agenda »≫ Be a fan of the characters
The agenda is what you aim to do all times
while playing: »≫ Ask questions and use the answers
»≫ Fill the PC’s lives with compelling support These principles act as a guide as you narrate
characters how the world reacts to the players. If you feel
unsure about what complications occur or how
»≫ Always offer a deal . . . with strings to move forward, refer back to these.
»≫ Play to find out what happens Draw maps. Create a world seen through maps,
not microscopes. What do I mean? Microscopes
Tides is a game about adventure in a world of are about seeing things exactly
competing interests. This competition comes as they are, down to the smallest detail. Maps
alive when you surround the PCs with are a simplified representation with a few key
compelling support characters. The players landmarks. In practical terms, have a general
want to pursue their dreams. If you use support idea of a place or a supporting character or an
characters as barriers, they will have a tendency obstacle, and generate interest with a few key
to view them merely as objects to destroy. You details; 2 details are a good starting place. If we
want them to feel inspired by the characters you apply this to supporting characters, you might
introduce, not callous. Compelling characters know the character is a navigator with the key
can bring out a spectrum of emotions: love, details of “booming voice” and “suspicious.”
hate, curiosity, excitement, etc. This emotional When you want to build upon this, ask yourself
involvement will encourage them to engage and “If this is true, then what else is true?”
bring the feeling of conflict alive. Maybe the booming voice means everyone
knows this character’s business. Or, maybe it
Always offer a deal...with strings. The players means they used to command armies on the
should always have a path forward. They will battlefield. Or, maybe it means they are
tell you what they want, and you should
old and losing their hearing. You can add lament their defeats. You’re not here to push
meaning to each detail dynamically as you them in any particular direction, merely to
respond to the players and the dice rolls. participate in fiction that features them and their
action.
Dangle glory on the other side of risk. The
players are bold corsairs chasing their dreams. Ask questions and use the answers. Part of
Offer them frequent chances to perform playing to find out what happens is explicitly
amazing feats or discover legendary artifacts. not knowing everything, and being curious. If
Then put something dangerous in between them you don’t know something, or you don’t have an
and this payoff. Sometimes the danger will be idea, ask the players and use what they say.
obvious and physical (a raging leviathan) but
other times it will be subtle or personal (the GM Contributions
disapproval of their anchor). Mix up the type of
If you are uncertain how to add to the story or
risks to keep it interesting.
what happens next in a scene, fall back on these
contribution methods:
Place loyalty and riches in conflict. In many
ways the players are defined by their
»≫ Ask: what’s your intent (or goal)?
relationships: to each other, their anchors, their
friends, rivals, and other factions. Use these ties
»≫ Telegraph trouble before it strikes
when you generate conflict. Offer them a
choice: their bonds or their wealth. Maybe
»≫ Cut to the moment of crisis
they discover the cargo from their recent score
actually belonged to a friend originally. Maybe
they are offered handsome payment… by Ask: what’s your intent (or goal)? It can be
someone their anchor fears. hard to know how to complicate a situation,
offer an enticing payout, or introduce a
Think in cinematic shots. Tides is a game compelling risk if you don’t know what the
inspired by Saturday morning cartoons or epic players want. It’s common for us to describe
adventure movies. Focus the description on the how our characters act without making it clear
drama, not the gritty detail. A few cinematic what we want the outcome to be. Unsure? Just
techniques to try include: focusing in on key ask! Once the players tell you their intent, think
moments such as an establishing shot, key of how you can reward and complicate that
conflicts, and a final dramatic image or high goal.
point at the end of the scene; switch the point
of view of your description when it adds tension Telegraph trouble before it strikes. If you’re
or interest, e.g. from distant narration to unsure how to complicate a situation or move
inside a character’s view to something off the narrative, think about looming threats and
screen; add background noise through details start a progress clock in view of the players. The
about nearby events that add context to the advantage of approaching threats is you don’t
world; color your scenes and use a palette to need to connect them immediately to this
reinforce the mood; use camera angles when scene. Maybe the players just failed to
you describe something to reinforce the desired deactivate a trap in a secret cave but you hadn’t
effect, e.g. looking down at a scene from a decided who set the trap. Glance at their faction
detached angle or looking up at a powerful relationships, pick one they have a negative
figure; and include texture through the senses, status with, and draw a clock labeled “Red
e.g. sounds, smells, physical sensations like Painters faction arrives” where the players can
temperature, tastes like salt water or freshly see. Why is that faction coming? How are they
baked bread, etc. connected to the cave? Who knows. But
now the players have a looming threat that will
Be a fan of the characters. Think of the push them to act now, and you can fill in the
players’ characters as protagonists in a story you details and consequences as the action
might see on TV. Cheer for their victories and progresses.
Cut to the moment of crisis. The game is ‘Sandbox’ and ‘Story Arc’
fundamentally about player goals hitting against -
(and perhaps surpassing) obstacles. When in -
doubt, cut to the next obstacle. Put the players -
and their goals at risk. Going back to your
principle “dangle glory on the other side of Running Multiple PC’s per Player
risk”, try to change conflict types if you feel -
stalled: -
- introduce internal conflict focused on their -
beliefs or anchor;
- introduce a supporting character that wants
to stop them (or wants the same thing but
differently);
- introduce a social conflict with a faction, law,
or social expectation that blocks them;
- introduce the dangers of nature through
weather, shifting terrain, animals, harsh
conditions, etc.;
- introduce technology or equipment that
blocks them;
- or bring supernatural powers into the mix.

Remember that time is nonlinear when you

think about the next crisis. You can flashback in
time to something a supporting character did
before the current scene, or a past failure of the
players’ characters with complications that are
catching up to them now. Jump back to the
present, connecting the past to current crisis,
and ask the players: “What do you do?”

Setting Up the Game

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Managing Sessions
- starting, recap and check-in
- changing character traits and crew goals
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Using Ruin
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Play Aids
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