Usage
Each scene template is a tactical archetype – rename the zones, reskin the fiction, drop it into any setting.
Each entry has:
- Zones – distinct areas with their own aspect; movement between adjacent zones is free, non-adjacent costs an action or a roll
- Scene Aspects – permanent aspects on the whole scene, available to everyone
- Hazards – active elements that act on their own; each has a skill and difficulty for when they trigger
- Complication – something that changes mid-scene or that players may not notice until it matters
Combat Scenes
The Crossfire
A space with no good cover, contested from multiple sides. Being still is the most dangerous thing.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Open Ground | Nowhere to Hide |
| The Rubble Line | Low Cover, High Risk |
| The Flank Approach | Out of Sight, Out of Support |
| The Chokepoint | One Way In, One Way Out |
| The High Position | Commanding View, Obvious Target |
Scene Aspects
- Visibility Is a Liability
- Every Position Has a Counter-Position
Hazards
- Suppressing Fire – at the start of each exchange, anyone in the Open Ground who didn’t move there voluntarily must defend against Shoot at +3 or take a boost their attacker can use immediately
- Unstable Flank – the Flank Approach has a crumbling or unreliable edge; moving through it requires an Athletics overcome at +2 or gain the aspect Off-Balance
Complication A third party – not allied to either side – arrives partway through and has their own agenda. They may shoot at everyone, try to extract something, or simply complicate the geometry.
The Defensive Hold
One side is dug in. The other is trying to get through. Time favors the attackers.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Perimeter | First Line, Fragile |
| The Killzone | Open Ground Between Them and Us |
| The Barricade | Solid Cover, Limited Sightlines |
| The Interior | Protected but Trapped |
| The Breach | Where the Wall Is Weakest |
Scene Aspects
- The Defenders Know Every Corner
- The Clock Is Running Against the Held Position
Hazards
- The Breach – at the end of each exchange in which no one has acted to reinforce it, the Breach widens; after three exchanges unaddressed, attackers may enter the Interior without passing through the Barricade
- Collateral Damage – each exchange that involves an attack in the Interior, roll Shoot or Fight at +2 against a randomly determined piece of the environment; on a hit, a scene aspect is destroyed or changed
Complication Something inside the Interior needs protecting and cannot defend itself – a person, an object, a mechanism that keeps the whole position viable. It becomes a target.
The Duel
Two people, or two small groups, with nothing between them but intent. The environment matters because there is nothing else.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| Your Ground | Known Footing, Familiar Reach |
| The Middle | Committed, No Easy Retreat |
| Their Ground | Their Advantage, Your Audacity |
| The Edge | One Mistake Away from Out |
Scene Aspects
- Everyone Is Watching
- Honor or Pride Has Made This Necessary
Hazards
- The Edge – anyone pushed into the Edge zone must make an Athletics overcome at +3 or be taken out of the scene by environmental means (a fall, a boundary, a crowd) rather than their opponent
- The Audience – if a combatant invokes Everyone Is Watching against an opponent, the opponent must either accept the compel or spend a fate point; if they accept, they must act in a way that maintains their reputation even at tactical cost
Complication Someone in the watching crowd has a reason for the duel to end a specific way – and acts on it before the end.
The Running Fight
Combat while moving through a space. Neither side has a fixed position. The environment is a weapon.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Lead | First Through, Fewest Obstacles |
| The Tight Passage | Single File, No Flanking |
| The Obstacle Field | Broken Ground, Scattered Cover |
| The Drop | Lower Ground, Harder to Retreat From |
| The Exit | Close Enough to Want, Far Enough to Die For |
Scene Aspects
- The Environment Does Not Care Who Wins
- Speed Is the Only Defense
Hazards
- The Tight Passage – anyone fighting in this zone takes –1 to all attack rolls due to restricted movement; on any attack that succeeds with style here, the attacker may instead choose to block the passage entirely for one exchange
- The Obstacle Field – moving through this zone costs an Athletics overcome at +2; failure means the character arrives Sprawled and Exposed, a boost their nearest enemy may use immediately
Complication The exit closes – a door, a gate, a collapse, a crowd. Now the fight has a new objective layered on top of the original one.
Chase Scenes
The Urban Chase
Streets, alleys, rooftops, crowds. The city is a maze and only one party knows it well.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Main Street | Witnesses Everywhere, Nothing Moves Fast |
| The Alley Network | Shortcuts and Dead Ends |
| The Market Crowd | Dense, Loud, Impossible to See Through |
| The Rooftops | Fast If You Don’t Fall |
| The Service Passage | Known Only to Those Who Work Here |
Scene Aspects
- The City Belongs to Whoever Knows It
- Everyone Here Has Seen Nothing and Will Say So
Hazards
- The Market Crowd – anyone moving through at speed must overcome with Athletics at +3; failure creates the aspect Caused a Scene with a free invocation for whoever is pursuing
- The Rooftops – each exchange spent here, roll Notice at +2; failure means a gap or edge that wasn’t visible; take a mild physical consequence or lose a zone of distance
Complication A third party – uninvolved, panicked, or simply unlucky – gets pulled into the chase and becomes an obstacle or an accidental witness.
The Vehicle Chase
Two or more vehicles, open ground or structured route, speed as the primary resource.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| Far Ahead | Out of Range, Barely in Sight |
| Closing Distance | In Range, Not in Control |
| Side by Side | Everything Is Personal Now |
| Falling Behind | Losing Ground, Losing Options |
| The Hazard Stretch | The Road Is the Enemy Too |
Scene Aspects
- Speed Forgives Nothing
- The Gap Between Vehicles Is a Weapon
Hazards
- The Hazard Stretch – each vehicle passing through must overcome with Drive or Pilot at +3; failure means a collision, a spin, or a forced zone shift and the aspect Damaged and Struggling
- Ranged Attacks from Vehicles – all Shoot attacks made from a moving vehicle take –1 unless the shooter has a stunt or aspect justifying otherwise
Complication The route changes – a road closes, a bridge is out, the destination moves. Both parties must adapt mid-chase.
The Crowd Escape
One person or group trying to vanish into a mass of people. The pursuers have authority or numbers. The environment is the only advantage.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Thick of It | Invisible in the Press of Bodies |
| The Thinning Edge | Easier to Move, Easier to Spot |
| The Bottleneck | Everyone Slows Here |
| The Side Exit | Unguarded, Unlikely, Known to Few |
| The Open Space | Nowhere Left to Hide |
Scene Aspects
- The Crowd Does Not Know It Is Helping
- Authority Cuts Through People Like a Blade
Hazards
- The Bottleneck – anyone passing through in a hurry must overcome at +2 with Athletics or Stealth; failure creates a commotion that gives pursuers a free boost
- Authority in the Open Space – any player character who enters the Open Space is immediately visible to all pursuers; escaping from this zone requires a successful overcome at +4
Complication Someone in the crowd recognizes one of the players – and reacts loudly.
Social Scenes
The Formal Gathering
A party, ceremony, or official event. Everyone is performing. Information moves sideways. Direct confrontation is the worst possible move.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Main Floor | On Display, Under Scrutiny |
| The Periphery | Watching Without Being Watched |
| The Private Alcove | Conversation That Isn’t For Everyone |
| The Service Area | Invisible to Guests, Overheard by Staff |
| The Exit Corridor | The Last Place to Catch Someone Alone |
Scene Aspects
- Appearances Are the Only Currency Here
- Everyone Is Here for a Reason They Won’t State
Hazards
- Social Exposure – any action that would be acceptable elsewhere (direct accusation, physical confrontation, overt surveillance) triggers immediate social consequence; the acting character gains the aspect Made a Scene with two free invocations for their opponents
- The Watched Conversation – any conversation in the Main Floor is potentially overheard; the GM may at any time reveal that someone was listening, with consequences proportional to what was said
Complication Two guests have a history that surfaces mid-event and reshapes the social geometry of the room.
The Negotiation Table
Two or more parties, a specific thing to resolve, and everyone trying to leave with more than they arrived with.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Table | Equal Ground, Unequal Power |
| The Observing Corner | Advisors, Witnesses, or Threats |
| The Host’s Space | Their Room, Their Rules |
| The Doorway | The Exit Is Always an Argument |
Scene Aspects
- Whoever Controls the Terms Controls the Outcome
- Walking Away Is Always an Option and Everyone Knows It
Hazards
- The Observing Corner – anyone in this zone may make a Notice roll at +2 each exchange; on success, they learn one thing their side’s negotiator does not know about the other party’s position
- Breaking the Frame – if any character attempts physical action or overt deception during the negotiation, all social rolls for their side take –2 for the remainder of the scene as trust collapses
Complication New information arrives mid-negotiation that changes what one party wants or what they’re willing to offer.
The Interrogation
One party has information. Another wants it. The room and the power dynamic are both a weapon.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Hot Seat | Exposed, Observed, Pressured |
| The Control Position | Standing Over, Looking Down |
| The Observation Side | Watching Without Participating |
| The Door | Freedom or Threat, Depending on Who Controls It |
Scene Aspects
- The Room Was Designed for This
- Everyone in Here Knows How This Usually Ends
Hazards
- Psychological Pressure – at the end of each exchange in which the subject has not revealed anything, they must overcome with Will at +2 or gain a fragile aspect reflecting their current stress (Rattled, Starting to Slip, One Push Away)
- The Observation Side – anyone watching from here may pass a note, signal, or instruction to the interrogator once per exchange as a free action; if the subject notices (Notice at +3), it resets the pressure dynamic
Complication The interrogator learns something mid-scene that changes whether they actually want the truth.
Stealth & Infiltration Scenes
The Guarded Interior
A secured space with active patrols, locked areas, and a goal somewhere inside. Time and noise are both enemies.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Entry Point | First In, Already Committed |
| The Patrol Route | Predictable Until It Isn’t |
| The Secured Room | What You Came For Is In Here |
| The Blind Spot | The Gap in Their Coverage |
| The Alarm Junction | One Switch Away from Everything Going Wrong |
Scene Aspects
- Security Has Layers for a Reason
- The Silence Is the Warning System
Hazards
- Active Patrol – at the end of each exchange, roll Notice at +3 for the patrol; on success, a player character in an unsecured zone must immediately make a Stealth overcome at +3 or be spotted
- The Alarm Junction – any failed roll in an adjacent zone has a chance of triggering; the GM may spend a fate point to trigger it regardless of the roll result
Complication Something inside the Secured Room is not what was expected – more guarded, different in nature, or already missing.
The Moving Target
The objective is a person, not a place – and they’re in motion through a changing environment.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Target’s Current Position | Close Enough to Act, Dangerous to Linger |
| One Step Behind | In Range, Not Yet Committed |
| The Approach Route | The Path They’re Taking |
| The Intercept Point | Where the Routes Converge |
| The Public Exposure | Too Many Eyes for Anything Clean |
Scene Aspects
- The Window Is Measured in Steps, Not Minutes
- The Target Doesn’t Know They’re Being Followed – Yet
Hazards
- Detection Threshold – each exchange in which the players act in the Target’s zone, roll their Stealth against the target’s Notice; after two failed rolls, the target is aware and the scene changes character entirely
- The Public Exposure – any action other than observation taken here creates a complication; the GM places a new scene aspect reflecting the public nature of the event
Complication Someone else is also following the target, for different reasons, and notices the players first.
Exploration & Environment Scenes
The Vertical Climb
Height is the challenge. The goal is above. The ground is a consequence, not a destination.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Base | Safe Ground, Nowhere Near the Goal |
| The Lower Ascent | Hard Going, Solid Holds |
| The Exposed Face | Wind, Visibility, No Shelter |
| The Crux | The Hardest Move, the Narrowest Margin |
| The Summit Approach | Almost There, Most Dangerous Now |
Scene Aspects
- The Fall Is Always Present
- Height Changes What You Can See
Hazards
- The Exposed Face – each exchange spent here, all characters must overcome with Athletics or Physique at +2 against wind, cold, or exposure; failure adds a mild physical consequence or a fragile aspect (Fingers Numb, Grip Slipping)
- The Crux – passing through requires an Athletics overcome at +4; failure means falling back one zone and gaining the aspect Shaken Confidence or taking a mild physical consequence; dramatic failure means two zones back
Complication Something at the top is not waiting passively – it is aware of the approach and has time to prepare.
The Unstable Environment
The location itself is failing. Flood, fire, collapse, contamination. The scene has a clock and the clock is structural.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Safe Pocket | Still Intact, Won’t Be for Long |
| The Failing Structure | Everything Here Is Coming Down |
| The Hazard Core | The Source of What’s Killing This Place |
| The Escape Route | The Way Out, Increasingly Blocked |
| The Trapped Depth | Furthest from Safety, Closest to What Matters |
Scene Aspects
- The Building Has Already Made Its Decision
- Saving One Thing Means Abandoning Another
Hazards
- Structural Deterioration – at the end of each exchange, the GM moves one zone aspect one step toward collapse; aspects that collapse become hazards that attack anyone in that zone at +3
- The Hazard Core – anyone entering this zone takes a mild physical consequence automatically from the environment; a second exchange here requires a Will overcome at +2 to remain functional
Complication Someone who should have left hasn’t. They are in the Trapped Depth and are not coming out on their own.
The Wilderness Crossing
Open country, bad terrain, distance as the obstacle. The environment is indifferent and that’s worse than hostile.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Known Edge | Mapped, Familiar, Already Behind You |
| The Open Stretch | Exposed and Slow |
| The Difficult Ground | Marsh, Rock, Dense Growth – Pick Your Suffering |
| The Landmark | Navigation Point, Possible Shelter, Possible Trap |
| The Threshold | The Far Side, If You Reach It |
Scene Aspects
- The Land Does Not Care About Your Schedule
- What You Carry Determines What You Can Do
Hazards
- Exposure – for each exchange (or scene, for slower pacing) spent in the Open Stretch without shelter or cover, characters must overcome with Physique at +2 or gain a mild physical consequence from weather, exhaustion, or terrain
- The Difficult Ground – movement through this zone costs a full action and an Athletics overcome at +2; failure means no progress and the aspect Spent More Than Expected
Complication Something is tracking the group across the crossing. It is patient, it knows the terrain, and it has been following since the Known Edge.
Mixed & Hybrid Scenes
The Crowd in Crisis
A large group of people in a dangerous situation. The players must act while the environment and the crowd both generate pressure.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| The Crush | Mass Panic, No One in Control |
| The Clearing | Temporary Space, Won’t Stay Empty |
| The High Point | Visible to Everyone, Target for Everything |
| The Exit Funnel | The Only Way Out for Most People |
| The Source | Where Whatever Started This Is Coming From |
Scene Aspects
- Fear Moves Faster Than People
- Heroes and Obstacles Look the Same in a Crowd
Hazards
- The Crush – anyone in this zone at the end of an exchange must overcome with Physique or Athletics at +2 or be moved one zone involuntarily by crowd pressure
- The Exit Funnel – each exchange, one additional civilian is added to this zone; after three exchanges, it becomes impassable without a +4 overcome; after five, someone is hurt regardless
Complication The source of the crisis is not what it appears to be – and addressing the apparent cause makes the real one worse.
The Split Objective
Two things need doing at the same time in different places. The players cannot be everywhere.
Zones
| Zone | Aspect |
|---|---|
| Site Alpha | First Priority, First Pressure |
| Site Beta | Second Priority, Already in Trouble |
| The Distance Between | Every Step Here Is a Step Away from Both |
| The Convergence | Where Both Problems Are Heading |
| The Unexpected Third | Nobody Planned for This |
Scene Aspects
- Splitting Up Solves One Problem and Creates Two
- The Clock Does Not Wait for Consensus
Hazards
- Divergence Pressure – at the end of each exchange, the GM advances whichever site has fewer players present one step toward failure; after three steps, that objective is lost
- The Unexpected Third – once per scene the GM may introduce a development in a zone no player is currently in; it requires immediate attention or becomes a scene aspect with two free invocations for the opposition
Complication The two objectives turn out to be connected in a way that means solving both the obvious way makes the underlying problem worse.