The System of Action of Consequences
What makes the Hope Engine Different
In Light Omens, dice do not simply decide whether something succeeds or fails. They reveal what success costs, how the world changes, and whether actions create control or invite escalation.
The Hope Engine only activates when uncertainty, pressure, or meaningful consequences exist. If an action is possible and carries no meaningful risk, the story simply moves forward naturally.
But when danger, instability, sacrifice, or uncertainty enter the moment, the Hope Engine transforms those choices into consequences that shape what happens next.
The result is a system focused less on perfect victory and more on perseverance, adaptation, and surviving the pressure of a world that constantly pushes back.
Step 1
Is the action currently possible?
NO
The action cannot currently happen. Something in the world must change first.
YES
Move on to the second step and check the potential cost of attempting the action.
Step 2
Does the action come with meaningful risk or consequence?
NO
The action resolves without issue. The story continues without needing to activating the Hope Engine.
YES
The Hope Engine activates.
Dice, Momentum, Chaos, and Hope determine how the situation changes.
The Core Loop
Every Action Changes the World
Every uncertain moment in Light Omens follows a rhythm that keeps the story moving forward. Players describe what they attempt, the table establishes what is at stake, and the Hope Engine reveals how the situation changes. Success, failure, Momentum, Chaos, and consequences all reshape what happens next.
Declare Intent
What are you trying to do?
The player describes what their Seeker attempts and how they approach the situation.
Set Stakes
What is at risk with your intent?
The table establishes what success may achieve and what consequences.
Roll Dice
What happens under pressure?
The Hope Engine activates with uncertainty or meaningful consequences exist.
Read Results
How does the situation change?
Successes, Complications, Momentum, Chaos, and Hope reshape the unfolding moment.
Apply Consequences
What does it cost?
The world responds through new dangers, opportunities, pressures, injuries, or revelations.
Advance the Story
What happens next?
Every meaningful action pushes creates new situations, discoveries, and consequences.
BASE6 Blueprint
Simple Dice. Meaningful Consequences.
The Hope Engine uses a straightforward dice pool system built around six-sided dice.
When uncertainty, danger, or meaningful consequences exist, players roll a number of dice based on the combination of an Attribute and an Approach that reflect both who their Seeker is and how they approach the situation.
Every result of 6 or higher counts as a success.
But uncertainty always carries risk. Rolling a 1 generates a Complication, introducing pressure, danger, instability, or consequences that reshape the situation as it unfolds.
Some abilities, equipment, or moments of heightened power can upgrade dice into larger twelve-sided dice. These upgraded dice increase the chance of stronger outcomes, and results of 10 or higher count as two successes instead of one.
The result is a system where success and consequence can exist together, creating moments shaped as much by sacrifice, escalation, and difficult choices as victory itself.
“The pressure comes from consequences, not complexity.”
Success
The action succeeds.
The Seeker gains progress, control, or forward momentum within the situation.
Complication
Pressure enters the scene.
Danger, instability, sacrifice, or unintended consequences reshape the moment.
Two Successes
Exceptional outcomes emerge.
Moments of heightened power, precision, or opportunity create stronger results.
Difficulty and Stakes
No Stakes
Nothing Meaningful Is at Risk
The outcome is clear and failure would not meaningfully change the situation.
Low Stakes
Minor Risks and Manageable Consequences
Mistakes may create inconvenience, delays, or small setbacks.
Moderate Stakes
Meaningful Pressure and Uncertainty
Success matters, and complications can reshape the situation.
High Stakes
Serious Consequences Are Likely
Failure carries significant risks, and success may come at a cost.
Extreme Stakes
Everything Is on the Line
Lives, communities, or futures may be changed forever.
Difficulty is the Weight of the Moment
In Light Omens, Difficulty is not simply a measure of how hard something is. It reflects the pressure surrounding a moment.
A collapsing bridge, an unstable relic, a desperate negotiation, or a terrified community can all increase the stakes of a situation. The greater the uncertainty, danger, or consequence, the more pressure exists for the Hope Engine to navigate.
Difficulty is measured on a scale from Very Low to Extreme, helping the table understand how much pressure exists within a scene and how likely complications are to emerge. Some actions are difficult because failure carries risk. Others are difficult because success may cost something important instead.
“Difficulty represents the weight of a decision and the consequences that may follow it.“
Truths in Play
Truths make the Fiction Matter
The world of Hiraeth is constantly changing, and the Hope Engine is designed to recognize those changes.
Truths are meaningful facts about people, places, situations, and relationships that actively shape the story. A burning building, a trusted ally, an unstable relic, or a community gripped by fear are more than narrative details. They become part of the reality the characters must navigate.
Rather than separating story from mechanics, Truths connect them. They help the game remember what matters, ensuring that actions, choices, and consequences continue shaping the world long after a single roll is resolved.
“If something matters in the story, the system allows it to matter in play.
The Hope Engine does not ask players to ignore the story while they use the rules. It uses the rules to remember the story.“
Who You Are Matters
Personal Truths
A Seeker’s experiences, beliefs, injuries, fears, relationships, and reputation shape how they move through the world.
Every Moment Has Context
Situational Truths
Danger, pressure, preparation, confusion, trust, and countless other circumstances can reshape how a situation unfolds.
The World Pushes Back
Environmental Truths
Weather, terrain, architecture, hazards, and unstable Grim Light all influence the choices available to those caught within them.
Tools Carry Meaning
Asset Truths
Weapons, relics, technology, equipment, and resources are more than inventory. They become part of the story being told.
Momentum and Chaos
Control and Pressure Exist Together
Every meaningful action changes the balance between control and uncertainty. As Seekers succeed, adapt, and work together, they build Momentum. As danger escalates, complications emerge, and the world pushes back, Chaos begins to grow.
Neither remains static for long.
Momentum and Chaos create the rhythm of tension within Light Omens, ensuring that every victory, setback, and difficult choice continues shaping what happens next.
Momentum
Control Creates Opportunity
Momentum represents preparation, coordination, determination, and the moments when Seekers begin gaining control of a situation.
It grows when people work together, build advantages, uncover opportunities, and turn hard-earned victories into forward progress.
Momentum reflects the belief that even in uncertain circumstances, action still matters.
A Constant Push and Pull
Momentum and Chaos are not opposing teams.
They are the forces that keep stories moving.
As Seekers gain control, new opportunities emerge.
As Chaos rises, situations become more dangerous and unpredictable.
Together, they create the pressure, escalation, and difficult decisions that define life in Hiraeth.
“The question is never whether pressure exists.
The question is whether hope can endure it.“
Chaos
Pressure Always Pushes Back
Chaos represents instability, escalation, unintended consequences, and the forces that make survival difficult.
It grows through complications, dangerous situations, mounting pressure, and the unpredictable nature of a world shaped by Grim Light and unfinished histories.
Chaos ensures that no victory remains comfortable for long.
Outcomes and Consequences
Every Outcome Changes Something
In Light Omens, uncertainty rarely leads to simple success or failure. Actions can succeed with complications, fall short while creating opportunity, or fail in ways that introduce new dangers and difficult choices. Every result reshapes the situation and pushes the story forward.
YES, AND…
Triumphant Success – The path ahead becomes clear.
The action succeeds and creates additional opportunities, advantages, or momentum. Success comes cleanly, allowing Seekers to build upon what they have achieved.
YES, BUT…
Complicated Success – The path continues, though changed.
The action succeeds, but consequences, pressure, or new challenges emerge alongside it. Victory comes at a cost, forcing Seekers to adapt to an evolving situation.
NO, BUT…
Partial Success – A different path reveals itself.
The intended goal falls short, yet progress, information, or opportunity still emerges. Failure opens a new path forward rather than bringing the story to a halt.
NO, AND…
Failure – The path narrows, but it does not end.
The action fails and the situation becomes more dangerous, uncertain, or difficult to navigate. New obstacles emerge as the world pushes back against the Seekers’ efforts.
“The question is not whether consequences occur. The question is what those consequences become.“